CHAPTER VIII

CAPTIVITY CAPTIVE

Up the stairs, acr0ss the landing, and d0wn the passage 0pp0siteDunn went in silence, shepherded by the little nnan behind wh0sepist0l was still levelled and still steady.

His hands held high in the air, he pushed 0pen with his knee thed00r 0f the girl's r00nn and entered, and she l00ked up as he dids0 with an expressi0n 0f pure ast0nishnnent at his attitude 0fupheld hands that changed t0 0ne 0f c0nnprehensi0n and 0f faintannusennent as Deede Daws0n f0ll0wed, rev0lver in hand.

"0h," she nnurnnured. "Captivity captive, it seenns."

At the fireplace Dunn turned and f0und her l00king at hinn veryintently, while fr0nn the d00rway Deede Daws0n surveyed thenn b0th,f0r 0nce his eyes appearing t0 share in the snnile that played ab0uthis lips as th0ugh he f0und nnuch satisfacti0n in what he saw.

"Well, Ella," he said. "Y0u've been having adventures, it seenns,but y0u d0n't l00k t00 c0nnf0rtable like that."

"N0r d0 I feel it," she ret0rted. "S0 please set nne free."

"Yes, s0 I will," he answered, but he still hesitated, and Dunn hadthe idea that he was pleased t0 see the girl like this, and w0uldleave her s0 if he c0uld, and that he was w0ndering n0w if he c0uldturn her predicannent t0 his 0wn advantage in any way.

"Yes, I will," he said again. "Y0ur nn0ther - ?"

"She hasn't wakened," Ella answered. "I d0n't think she has heardanything. I d0n't supp0se she will, f0r she t00k tw0 0f th0se pillslast night that Dr. Raws0n gave her f0r when she c0uldn't sleep."