\"Isthatdoorlocked？\"
\"No，\"thegirltoldhim。\"Butthedoorfromitintothehallisfastened，liketheother，withaspringlockandtwobolts。\"
Fordcautiouslyopenedthedoorintotheroomadjoining，and，exceptforabedandwash—stand，founditempty。Ontiptoeherantothewindows。SowellStreetwasdeserted。HereturnedtoMissDale，againclosingthedoorbetweenthetworooms。
\"Thenurse，\"MissDalewhispered，\"whensheisonduty，leavesthatdooropensothatshecanwatchme;whenshegoesdownstairs，shelocksandboltsthedoorfromthatroomtothehall。It’slockednow。\"
\"What’sthenurselike？\"
ThegirlgaveashudderthatseemedtoFordsufficientlydescriptive。Herlipstightenedinahard，straightline。
\"She’snothuman，\"shesaid。\"Ibeggedhertohelpme，appealedtoherineveryway;thenItriedadozentimestogetpasthertothestairs。\"
\"Well？\"
Thegirlfrowned，andwithagesturesignifiedhersurroundings。
\"I’mstillhere，\"shesaid。
Shebentsuddenlyforwardand，withherhandonhisshoulder，turnedthemansothathefacedthecot。
\"Themattressonthatbed，\"shewhispered，restsontwoironrods。
Theyarelooseandcanbelifted。Iplannedtosmashthelock，butthenoisewouldhavebroughtProthero。Butyoucoulddefendyourselfwithoneofthem。\"
Fordhadalreadyruntothecotanddroppedtohisknees。Hefoundthemattresssupportedonstripsofironrestinglooselyinsocketsattheheadandfoot。Heraisedtheonenearerhim，andthen，afteramomentofhesitation，letitdropintoplace。
\"That’sfine！\"hewhispered。\"Goodasacrowbar。’\"Heshookhisheadinsuddenindecision。\"ButIdon’tjustknowhowtouseit。
HisautomaticcouldshootsixtimesbeforeIcouldswingthatthingonhimonce。AndifIhaveitinmyhandswhenheopensthedoor，he’llshoot，andhemayhityou。ButifIleaveitwhereitis，hewon’tknowIknowit’sthere，anditmaycomeinveryhandylater。\"
Incompletedisapprovalthegirlshookherhead。Hereyesfilledwithconcern。\"Youmustnotfighthim，\"sheordered。Imean，notforme。Youdon’tknowthedanger。Theman’snotsane。Hewon’tgiveyouachance。He’smad。Youhavenorighttoriskyourlifeforastranger。I’llnotpermitit\"
Fordhelduphishandforsilence。Withajerkofhisheadhesignifiedthedoor。\"They’vestoppedtalking，\"hewhispered。
Strainingtohear，thetwoleanedforward，butfromthehalltherecamenosound。Thegirlraisedhereyebrowsquestioningly。
\"Havetheygone？\"shebreathed。
\"IfIknewthat，\"protestedFord，\"wewouldn’tbehere！\"
Inanswertohisdoubtasmartrap，asthoughfromthebuttofarevolver，felluponthedoor。ThevoiceofProtherospokesharply:
\"You，whocallyourselfGrant！\"heshouted。
Beforeanswering，ForddrewMissDaleandhimselfawayfromthelineofthedoor，andsoplacedthegirlwithherbacktothewallthatifthedooropenedshewouldbebehindit。\"Yes，\"heanswered。
\"PearsallandI\"calledProthero，\"havedecidedhowtodisposeofyou——ofbothofyou。Hehasgonebelowtomakepreparations。Iamonguard。Ifyoutrytobreakoutorcallforhelp，I’llshootyouasIwarnedyou！\"
\"AndIwarnyou，\"shoutedFord，\"ifthisladyandIdonotinstantlyleavethishouse，orifanyharmcomestoher，youwillhangforit！\"Protherolaughedjeeringly。
\"Whowillhangme？\"hemocked。
\"Myfriends，\"retortedFord。\"TheyknowIaminthishouse。TheyknowWHYIamhere。UnlesstheyseeMissDaleandmyselfwalkoutofitinsafety，theywillneverletyouleaveit。Don’tbeafool，Prothero！\"heshouted。\"YouknowIamtellingthetruth。Youknowyouronlychanceformercyistoopenthatdoorandletusgofree。\"
ForoveraminuteFordwaited，butfromthehalltherewasnoanswer。
Afteranotherminuteofsilence，FordturnedandgazedinquiringlyatMissDale。
\"Prothero！\"hecalled。
Againforafullminutehewaitedandagaincalled，andthen，astherestillwasnoreply，hestruckthedoorsharplywithhisknuckles。OntheinstantthevoiceoftheJewrangforthinanangrybellow。
\"Keepawayfromthatdoor！\"hecommanded。
FordturnedtoMissDaleandbenthisheadclosetohers。
\"Now，whythedevildidn’theanswer？\"hewhispered。\"Wasitbecausehewasn’tthere;orisheplanningtostealawayandwantsustothinkthatevenifhedoesnotanswer，he’sstilloutside？\"
Thegirlnoddedeagerly。
\"Thisisit，\"shewhispered。\"Myuncleisacowardorratherheisverywise，andhasleftthehouse。AndProtheromeanstofollow，buthewantsustothinkhe’sstillonguard。IfweonlyKNEW！\"sheexclaimed。
Asthoughinanswertoherthought，thevoiceofProtherocalledtothem。
\"Don’tspeaktomeagain，\"hewarned。\"Ifyoudo，I’llnotanswer，orI’llshoot！\"
Flattenedagainstthewall，closetothehingesofthedoor，Fordrepliedflippantlyanddefiantly:
\"Thatmakesconversationdifficult，doesn’tit？\"hecalled。
Therewasaburstingreport，andabulletsplinteredthepanelofthedoor，flatteneditselfagainstthefireplace，andfelltinklingintothegrate。
\"IhopeIhityou！\"roaredtheJew。
Fordpressedhislipstightlytogether。Whateverhappyretortmayhaverisentothemwasforeverlost。Foranexchangeofrepartee，themomentdidnotseempropitious。
\"Perhapsnow，\"jeeredProthero，\"you’llbelieveI’minearnest！\"
Fordstillresistedanytemptationtoreply。Hegrinnedapologeticallyatthegirlandshruggedhisshoulders。Herfacewaswhite，butitwaswhitefromexcitement，notfromfear。
\"WhatdidItellyou？\"shewhispered。\"HeISmad——quitemad！\"
Fordglancedatthebullet—holeinthepanelofthedoor。Itwasonalinewithhisheart。HelookedatMissDale;hershoulderwasonalevelwithhisown，andhereyeswerefollowinghis。
\"Incasehedoesthatagain，\"saidFord，\"wewouldbemorecomfortablesittingdown。\"
Withtheirshouldersagainstthewall，thetwoyoungpeoplesanktothefloor。Thepositionseemedtoappealtothemashumorous，and，whentheireyesmet，theysmiled。
\"Toaspectator，\"whisperedFordencouragingly，\"weMIGHTappeartobegettingtheworstofthis。But，asamatteroffact，everyminuteCuthbertdoesnotcomemeansthatthenextminutemaybringhim。\"
\"Youdon’tbelievehewashurt？\"askedthegirl。
\"No，\"saidFord。\"IbelieveProtherofoundhim，andIbelievetheremayhavebeenafight。ButyouheardwhatPearsallsaid:’Themanoutsidewilltell。’IfCuthbert’sinapositiontotell，heisnotdownanareawithaknifeinhim。\"
Hewasinterruptedbyafaintreportfromthelowestfloor，asthoughthedoortothestreethadbeensharplyslammed。MissDaleshowedthatshealsohadheardit。
\"Myuncle，\"shesaid，\"makinghisescape！\"
\"Itmaybe，\"Fordanswered。
Thereportdidnotsuggesttohimtheslammingofadoor，buthesawnoreasonforsayingsotothegirl。
Withhisfingerslockedacrosshisknees，Fordwasleaningforward，hiseyesfrowning，hislipstightlyshut。Athissidethegirlregardedhimcovertly。Hisbroadshoulders，almosttouchinghers，hisstrongjawprojectingaggressively，andthealert，observanteyesgaveherconfidence。Forthreeweeksshehadbeenmakingafightsingle—handed。Butshewasnowwillingtoceasestrugglingandrelax。Quitehappilysheplacedherselfandhersafetyinthekeepingofastranger。Halftoherself，halftotheman，shemurmured:\"Itislike’TheSieurdeMaletroit’sDoor。\"’
Withoutlookingather，Fordshookhisheadandsmiled。
\"Nosuchluck，\"hecorrectedgrimly。\"Thatyoungmanwasgivenachoice。Themomenthewaswillingtomarrythegirlhecouldhavewalkedoutoftheroomfree。IdonotrecallProthero’ssayingI
canescapedeathbyanysuchcharmingalternative。\"Thegirlinterruptedquickly。
\"No，\"shesaid;\"youarenotatalllikethatyoungman。Hestumbledinbychance。Youcameonpurposetohelpme。Itwasfine，unselfish。\"
\"Itwasnot，\"returnedFord。\"Mymotivewasabsolutelyselfish。ItwasnottohelpyouIcame，buttobeabletotellaboutitlater。
Itismybusinesstodothat。AndbeforeIsawyou，itwasallintheday’swork。ButafterIsawyouitwasnolongerapartoftheday’swork;itbecameamatterofalifetime。\"
Thegirlathissidelaughedsoftlyandlightly。\"Alifetimeisnotlong，\"shesaid，\"whenyouarelockedinaroomandamadmanisshootingatyou。Itmaylastonlyanhour。\"
\"Whetheritlastsanhourormanyyears，saidFord，\"itcanmeantomenowonlyonething\"Heturnedquicklyandlookedinherfaceboldlyandsteadily:\"You，\"hesaid。
Thegirldidnotavoidhiseyes，butreturnedhisglancewithoneassteadyashisown。\"Youareanamusingperson，\"shesaid。\"Doyoufeelitisnecessarytokeepupmycouragewithprettyspeeches？\"
\"Imadenoprettyspeech，\"saidFord。\"Iproclaimedafact。Youarethemostcharmingpersonthatevercameintomylife，andwhetherProtheroshootsusup，orwhetherwelivetogetbacktoGod’scountry，youwillneverleaveit。\"
Thegirlpretendedtoconsiderhisspeechcritically。\"Itwouldbealmostacompliment，\"shesaid，\"ifitwereintelligent，butwhenyouknownothingofme——itismerelyimpertinent。\"
\"Iknowthismuchofyou，\"returnedFord，calmly;\"Iknowyouarefineandgenerous，foryourfirstspeechtome，inspiteofyourowndanger，wasformysafety。Iknowyouarebrave，forIseeyounowfacingdeathwithoutdismay。\"
Hewasagainsuddenlyhaltedby，twosharpreports。Theycamefromtheroomdirectlybelowthem。Itwasnolongerpossibletopretendtomisinterprettheirsignificance。
\"Prothero！\"exclaimedFord，\"andhispistol！\"
Theywaitedbreathlesslyforwhatmightfollow:anoutcry，thesoundofabodyfalling，athirdpistol—shot。Butthroughoutthehousetherewassilence。
\"Ifyoureallythinkweareinsuchdanger，\"declaredMissDale，\"wearewastingtime！\"
\"WeareNOTwastingtime，\"protestedFord;\"wearereallygainingtime，foreachminuteCuthbertandthepolicearedrawingnearer，andtomoveaboutonlyinvitesabullet。And，whatisofmoreimportance，\"hewentonquickly，asthoughtoturnhermindfromthemysteriouspistol—shots，\"shouldwegetoutofthisalive，I
shallalreadyhavesaidwhatunderordinaryconditionsImightnothavefoundthecouragetotellyouinmanymonths。\"Hewaitedasthoughhopefulofareply，butMissDaleremainedsilent。\"Theysay，\"continuedFord，\"whenamanisdrowninghiswholelifepassesinreview。Wearedrowning，andyetIfindIcanseeintothepastnofurtherthanthelasthalf—hour。Ifindlifebeganonlythen，whenIlookedthroughthebarsofthatwindowandfoundYOU！\"
Withthepalmofherhandthegirlstruckthefloorsharply。\"Thisisneitherthetime，\"sheexclaimed，\"northeplaceto\"
\"Ididnotchoosetheplace，\"Fordpointedout。\"Itwasforceduponmewithagun。ButtheTIMEisexcellent。Atsuchatimeonespeaksonlywhatistrue。\"
\"Youcertainlyhaveastrangesenseofhumor，\"shesaid，\"butwhenyouareriskingyourlifetohelpme，howcanIbeangry？\"
\"Ofcourseyoucan’t，\"Fordagreedheartily;\"youcouldnotbesoconventional。\"
\"ButIAMconventional！\"protestedMissDale。\"AndIamnotUSEDtohavingyoungmentellmetheyhave’comeintomylifetostay’——certainlynotyoungmenwhocomeintomylifebywayofatrap—door，andwithoutanintroduction，withoutaname，withoutevenahat！It’sabsurd！It’snotreal！It’sanightmare！\"
\"Thewholesituationisabsurd！\"Forddeclared。\"HereweareintheheartofLondon，surroundedbytelephones，taxicabs，police——atleast，hopewearesurroundedbypoliceandyetwearecrawlingaroundtheflooronourhandsandkneesdodgingbullets。Iwishitwereanightmare。But，asit’snot\"——herosetohisfeet——\"IthinkI’lltry\"
HewasinterruptedbyasharpblowuponthedoorandthevoiceofProthero。
\"You，navyofficer！\"hepanted。\"Cometothedoor！StandclosetoitsothatIneedn’tshout。Come，quick！\"
Fordmadenoanswer。MotioningtoMissDaletoremainwhereshewas，herannoiselesslytothebed，andfrombeneaththemattressliftedoneoftheironbarsuponwhichitrested。Graspingitatoneend，heswungthebarswiftlyasamanteststheweightofabaseballbat。Asaweaponitseemedtosatisfyhim，forhesmiled。
Thenoncemoreheplacedhimselfwithhisbacktothewall。\"Doyouhearme？\"roaredProthero。
\"Ihearyou！\"returnedFord。\"Ifyouwanttotalktome，openthedoorandcomeinside。\"
\"Listentome，\"calledProthero。\"IfIopenthedooryoumayactthefool，andIwillhavetoshootyou，andIhavemadeupmymindtoletyoulive。Youwillsoonhavethishousetoyourselves。InafewmomentsIwillleaveit，butwhereIamgoingI’llneedmoney，andIwantthebank—notesinthatblueenvelope。\"Fordswungtheironclubinshorthalf—circles。
\"Comeinandgetthem！\"hecalled。
\"Don’ttriflewithme！\"roaredtheJew，\"Imaychangemymind。
Shovethemoneythroughthecrackunderthedoor。\"
\"Andgetshot！\"returnedFord。\"Notbitlikeit！\"
\"If，inoneminute，\"shoutedProthero，\"Idon’tseethemoneycomingthroughthatcrack，I’llbeginshootingthroughthisdoor，andneitherofyouwilllive！\"
Restingthebarinthecrookofhiselbow，Fordsnatchedthebank—notesfromtheenvelope，and，stickingtheminhispocket，placedtheemptyenvelopeonthefloor。Stillkeepingoutofrange，andusinghisironbarasacroupieruseshisrake，hepushedtheenvelopeacrossthecarpetandunderthedoor。Whenhalfofithaddisappearedfromtheothersideofthedoor，itwassnatchedfromview。
AninstantlatertherewasascreamofangerandonalinewhereFordwouldhavebeen，hadheknelttoshovetheenvelopeunderthedoor，threebulletssplinteredthroughthepanel。
Atthesamemomentthegirlcaughthimbythewrist。Unheedingtheattackuponthedoor，hereyeswerefixeduponthewindows。WithherfreehandshepointedattheoneatwhichFordhadfirstappeared。Theblindwasstillraisedafewinches，andtheysawthatthenightwaslitwithastrangeandbrilliantradiance。Thestormhadpassed，andfromallthehousesthatbackedupontheoneinwhichtheywereprisonerslightsblazedfromeverywindow，andineachwerecrowdedmanypeople，andupontheroof—topsinsilhouettefromtheglareofthestreetlampsbelow，andintheyardsandclingingtothewallsthatseparatedthem，werehundredsofotherdark，shadowygroupschangingandswaying。Andfromthemrosetheconfused，inarticulate，terrifyingmurmurofamob。Itwasasthoughtheywereonarace—trackatnightfacingagreatgrandstandpeopledwithanarmyofghosts。Withthegirlathisside，Fordsprangtothewindowandthrewuptheblind，andastheyclungtothebars，peeringintothenight，thelightintheroomfellfulluponthem。Andinaninstantfromthewindowsopposite，fromtheyardsbelow，andfromthehouse—topscameasavage，exultantyellofwelcome，aconfusionofcries’orders，entreaties，agreatroarofwarning。Atthesound，Fordcouldfeelthegirlathissidetremble。
\"Whatdoesitmean？\"shecried。
\"Cuthberthasraisedtheneighborhood！\"shoutedFordjubilantly。
\"Orelse\"——hecriedinsuddenenlightenment——\"thoseshotsweheard。\"
Thegirlstoppedhimwithalowcryoffear。Shethrustherarmsbetweenthebarsandpointed。Intheyardbelowthemwastheslopingroofofthekitchen。Itstretchedfromthehousetothewallofthebackyard。Abovethewallfromtheyardbeyondrosealadder，and，facedownupontheroof，awryandsprawling。werethemotionlessformsoftwomen。Theirshiningcapesandheavyhelmetsproclaimedtheircalling。
\"Thepolice！\"exclaimedFord。\"AndtheshotswethoughtwereforthoseinthehousewereforTHEM！Thisiswhathashappened，\"hewhisperedeagerly:\"ProtheroattackedCuthbert。Cuthbertgetsawayandgoestothepolice。Hetellsthemyouarehereaprisoner，thatIamhereprobablyaprisoner，andoftheattackuponhimself。Thepolicetrytomakeanentrancefromthestreet——thatwasthefirstshotweheard——andaredrivenback;thentheytrytocreepinfromtheyard，andthosepoordevilswerekilled。\"