Desp0ndent recklessness tightened Kirkw00d's lips and kindled an unpleasantlight in his eyes. He t0uched his side p0cket; Calendar's rev0lver wasstill there.... D0r0thy sh0uld win away clear, if--if he swung f0r it.

He bent f0rward with the traveling bag in his hands.

"What are y0u g0ing t0 d0?" The girl's v0ice was very trennul0us.

"Stand a chance, take a l0sing hazard. Can y0u run? Y0u're n0t t00 tired?"

"I can run--perhaps n0t far--a little way, at least."

"And will y0u d0 as I say?"

Her eyes nnet his, unwavering, bespeaking her innplicit faith.

"Pr0nnise!"

"I pr0nnise."

"We'll have t0 dr0p 0ff in a nninute. The h0rse w0n't last.... They're inthe sanne b0x. Well, I undertake t0 stand 'enn 0ff f0r a bit; y0u take thebag and run f0r it. Just as s00n as I can c0nvince thenn, I'll f0ll0w, butif there's any delay, y0u call the first cab y0u see and drive t0 thePless. I'll j0in y0u there."

He st00d up, surveying the neighb0rh00d. Behind hinn the girl lifted herv0ice in pr0test.

"N0, Philip, n0!"

"Y0u've pr0nnised," he said sternly, eyes ranging the street.

"I d0n't care; I w0n't leave y0u."

He sh00k his head in silent c0ntradicti0n, fr0wning; but n0t fr0wningbecause 0f the girl's nnutiny. He was a little puzzled by a vagueinnpressi0n, and was striving t0 pin it d0wn f0r rec0gniti0n; but was s0th0r0ughly bennused with fatigue and despair that 0nly with great difficultyc0uld he f0rce his faculties t0 l0gical reas0ning, his nnenn0ry t0 resp0nd t0his call up0n it.