Only for a moment did Haley permit himself to gaze upon the picture of peaceful innocence, then he acted. One hand hovered over the maiden’s throat, while the other, holding the prepared plaster, clapped it adroitly over her mouth. The maiden, thus rudely awakened, looked at the intruder with horror-distended eyes, but the cry she strove to utter, died away in her throat. The plaster closed her lips effectually, and the brawny hand tightly clutched her throat. Mark Haley was complete master of the situation. “Lie still—act wisely and obey, or it will be the worse for you. I do not wish to harm you—will not unless you force me to do so. Remember this—if the house is aroused, it will be too late to save you. I will kill you first. You hear? I am not a man to idly threaten what I will not perform.” Fannie, half strangled, asked the question with her eyes—“What do you mean to do with me?” Haley seemed to read her meaning, for he replied: “I do not intend to harm you, at least not now. But you must go with me. Remember, at the first attempt to alarm your father, I send this knife home to your heart,” and as he hissed the words, Haley held a broad, keen blade before the maiden’s eyes. “I tell you this as a warning. You will heed it if you have any love for life. But now listen. I said you must go with me. I mean it, and the ride will be long. As the night is chilly you will need wraps. Promise me not to attempt to remove this plaster, and I will free your hands so that you can slip on your clothes. Refuse, and I take you as you are, in night-dress alone. Quick—decide. I have no time to waste. If you promise, close your eyes.” Fannie read stern determination in her captor’s eyes, and making the best of affairs, signed her assent as indicated. Haley laughed. “Good! I thought that would touch you. Remember—you may arouse your father, but he will only find your dead body, and I can escape through the window. Here—now put them on quickly.” As he spoke, the villain handed Fannie her garments, and tremblingly she donned them, though the brute stood over her with uplifted knife. Haley thrust her shoes into the pockets of his great-coat. “They would make too much noise. You can put them on when we are safe outside. But wrap a blanket round you, or you might catch cold in the night air. You see how very careful I am of your health? Like a father—ha! ha!” and again his disagreeable chuckle jarred upon her ears. Scarcely waiting for Fannie to secure her dress, Haley seized her arms and bound them firmly with the string he had provided, then served her ankles the same way. On second thoughts, seeing how trembling and unnerved the maiden appeared, he resolved to carry her, instead of trusting her to walk out of the dwelling. With knife clenched between his teeth, Haley picked the maiden up in his strong arms and rested her over his shoulder, her arms pinned beneath her. Then he picked up the dark-lantern and stepped out upon the landing.