It yielded
to her hand, and bare of face, save for a dark moustache, the man stood
there, panting for breath, above her. Then suddenly, almost at my very
ear, a voice cried, "Frank! Frank! I am here!"
CHAPTER IX
IN THE HANDS OF THE ENEMY
In the first surprise of that unexpected joyful cry ringing at my very
ears all my senses seemed confused, and I stood motionless. Then I
heard Bungay utter a smothered oath, and knew he had wheeled about in
the darkness. Unable to distinguish the slightest outline of his
figure, I was yet impressed with the thought that he was endeavoring to
muffle the girl, to prevent her uttering a second cry. Impelled by this
intuition I flung out my arm hastily, and by rare good luck it came in
contact with his hand.
"None of that, you little cur!" I muttered sternly, unmindful of his
efforts to break away. "No hand on her, mind you! Mrs. Brennan, what
does this mean?"
She made no attempt to answer, but I could hear her now groping her way
through the darkness toward the place of our entrance. Bungay detected
the movement also, and made a violent effort to break loose from my
grip, that he might hurry after her.
"You lit go o' me," he cried excitedly, "er, by goir, I'll use a knife.
She'll give this whole thing away if she ever gits out."
For answer I hurled him backward with all my strength and sprang after
the fleeing woman.
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