The Washington times., 1911-12-16
CHAPTER nI.-continued.)

Il N~----~
"\W A Vt. are %.S T. s'''. Z g
wv You stay here till they
find the ring"
Where have the men gone7'
Back to place where you lose him,
and then maybe to find man with bad
II don't think care to wait for them.
II You Will take me to the hotel where
my my nj friends are ! will give you 70
The mans face heightened
II dare not do it, he said. '.They
leave you with me. II let you 60 / get
"A hundred francs" said the girl.
Again the headshake
Miss Dexter had had It firmly i'm
pressed upon her that cupidity was one
OF the chief characteristics Of the Mo-
hanmmedanH so she did not give up.
what Will you takeT'
~ do not dare" said the man,
r. Il, w., pr prompted the sirl.
ba Elise sses sla .ns,sa ground the room and
chink or light under It.
Howl" she asked.
THAT chain there II old. With your
strong stick maybe you pry i loose. II
How much will make you deaf7"
This was beyond the greasy fritte,
man. He looked puzzled.
me- she explained. pointing to the bag
at her belt.
How much has madamr.
She opened the bag and spread the
TSsre were four
three English sovereigns-ali the money
she had visible, though sewed in q
little bag under her waist were two
five.pound notes-asainst pressing
The fritter mans eyes giittered greed.
lily at the sight Of the yellow metal,
and, with q sudden circular movement
the arm like a. int ct sa%ns
What is the most direct way to the
quay?"
" "Yov desire the boat landinsT",
Go out door to alley. then into street,
then turn right and go straight
straight till you arrive"
As he finished he stepped into the
outer shop. leaving her to her own de.
vices.
The absurdity of bargaining with q
man who could have taken all she had
without giving a return did not occur to
her. Her whole thought was centered
on escape. 6h getting out of that close
dirty room to where she could at least
see the sky above the houses.
The instant one door closed on her
keeper she ran to the other and pro-
ceeded to use Burroughs stick as q
lever on the chain and staple. 1t re-
quired several trials before she found
the best way TO manipulate It; and, her
hands were bruised in the process. But
finally she felt the staple giving. II
came out with an unexpected jerk that
nearly threw her of her balance.
She pulled the door open and looked
out on an alley-like passage very sim
liar to the one near which Burroughs
had disappeared; Stopping Just .;, a sec &c:
door to after her, and. tiptoeing eau
tiously to the alleys mouth, peered out
In the street.
It was full of dark shadows; for the
touched the housetops; night was or
the verge OF closing In. There was q
dampness In the air, too, searching
chill that did not at all square with hel
North Africa-a hot place, where 70,
We're always comfortable in white gar
ments.
She was discovering that North Africa
held more than one surprise.
Slipping quietly into the street. sh'
fastened down IT,. She passed severa
people who stared, and the fear tina
some one of them might stop her len
speed to her feet II there had been M
passers. she would have had difficulty
to keep from running. so anxious wa.
she to put distance between herself and
the malo6orous place she had just left
But at the first lane that debouched
into the one on which she was she saW
the futility of all her efforts. The two
fritter man stepped out and blocked hel
way. They had gone to look over the
ground where Burroughs had disap
peared and were returning.
Behind them was the shopkeeper him
self, even then surreptitiously clinkinl
Miss Dexter's gold in his hand. He hat
timed her escape SO that 1t would be M
escape, had played with her as ca
| plays with its victim. Once more sh'
was under the cats paw.
One thing came to her with q grea
| sinking Of the heart. They had sait
| they were going to find Burroughs, bu
| he was not with them. She could no
even be sure that they wanted to fnt
| him.
She could be sure Of nothing In thi
uncomfortable place. where one NAL
| had already played her false and wher
she could make herself only half under
| stood.