Rutley immediately grasped the situation as one fraught with the gravest peril. He saw that Sam's revolver covered Jack, and saw, too, that a few feet nearer the partition door would place him in a position out of line of Sam's aim, as the small cupboard, beside the window, formed an angle that sheltered that part of the room. On the instant, therefore, he leaped toward the partition door. As he sprang toward the door, his eyes fastened on Jack's coat. To secure the package of money from its pocket was, for his deft fingers, but the work of a moment; then into the sleeping room he darted and closed the door. While Jack's hands were up, Thorpe called from the outside to open the door. At the same time he shook it violently, and began to batter it with the axe. During this time Constance stood with her back to the wall, her arms straight down by her side, with the palms of her hands flattened against the boards, as one seeks support at times on a ship at sea. She appeared insensible alike to fear or position. Yet the horror of the affair shone in her distended eyes. "The boat rocks, the storm is upon us," she muttered. At the moment Smith commenced to batter the other door of the cabin, Jack took the chance, and sprang to one side, out of line of Sam's revolver. "It's the police!" he exclaimed wildly, and in the panic that seized him he quite forgot his assumed character. He picked up the revolver that he had wrenched from Virginia, and which lay upon the floor, and his attitude became so threatening and malignant as to cause her to utter a slight terrified scream. Even Dorothy's large innocent eyes blazed, and she struck at him in defense of Virginia. "Mr. Golda, you're a bad, bad man." The child's voice raised in Jack a "forlorn hope," for he muttered, "Dorothy shall be my guarantee of escape." Simultaneously the door flew open under Thorpe's blows, and he stood in the entrance. "Oh, papa, papa!" cried Dorothy, as she ran toward him. Seeing his opportunity, Jack desperately clutched the child with his left hand. Swinging Dorothy in front of him, and before her father, he pointed the revolver at her head, and in that position addressed him in a sort of screeching yell, "Stop!" Thorpe stood horror-stricken. His heart leaped to his throat. "My God! madman, what will you do?" he hoarsely exclaimed, and motioned as if to rescue the child. With a tighter clutch, and a more maddening menace, Jack again addressed him, "Stop, not a step nearer!" And to emphasize his purpose, he placed the muzzle of the revolver close to her head. Observing the desperate peril in which Dorothy was placed, and with a courage born of horror and despair, Virginia stole to Jack's back, and with a wild frantic scream of "Save her!" seized his pistol hand between both her own, and in the struggle that immediately ensued, and in which all her strength was exerted, the weapon fell to the floor.