The Port of Adventure

always contrived to miss. At once she decided to go; and as it was for that night, there was just time to hurry back to the hotel, dine, and dress. She was lucky enough to ge

t into the lift; and upstairs shoes had already been put outside bedroom doors. In front of the one next her own, she saw two pairs which made her smile a little, for, though she could not be certain, she fancied t

f. "If they're his, how dreadfull

Kate presently came to undress her wi

, very still, very white in the light that stole through the window, very beautiful, drowned in the waves of her hair. Then, at last, she began to dream of Italy; that she was there; that she had never come

gainst the pillow because it was an American pillow, not an Italia

double-locked by a golden key, shut forever between it and her. Nothing disagreeable could happen now. And she was falling asleep once more, when a

ed that it was at one of the two

evertheless, the night glow of the great city silhouetted the figure of a man black against the shining of the half-raised window-panes. It was kneeling on the wide sto

hich belted the wall, on a level a few feet lower than the line of the window-sills. She remembered noticing this as one suddenly recalls some forgotten deta

that sprang to her lips. Then she remembered that it would be better for her if he should fall. He meant to rob and perhaps to murd

d ran across the room to the telephone, the man could see her. Then, knowing that she was awake, an

utes more the slow, stealthy lifting of the window-sash

might lie still and let him act; but her watch was under the pillow, and her pearls were round her throat. The pearls were worth far m

can

e leaned out of bed and knocked on the door between her room and the next. The door was fastened, but, rapping with on

tely by surprise. When Angela suddenly cried out, he had been in the act of letting himself down to the floor, by slipping under the window-sash, raised just high enough for him to squeeze through. He had half turned on the wide ledge, so as to get his legs through first and land on his knees; therefore, he was seized at a disadvantage. The most agile gymnast could not

he light from the next room let her see the two men clearly: the tall one in pajamas, as he must have sprung out of bed at her call: the little one in black, with a mask of crape or some thin material over the upper part of his face. Now, in the silent struggle, the m

she sank back on the pillows, feeling suddenly limp and powerless, as she

t seemed wonderful that one who had just fought as he had could have kept control of breath and head. His voice did not even sou

ank you for coming. You've saved my life. Can't

ructions in your room. I'm going to take this thing to my quarters. The s

derstanding and appreciation. "For m

, too. And you don't co

tell,"

atter him over the landscape with my gun, if I fire across a court-room. He sees I'm the kind of man to keep my word." These threats were uttered in the same quiet voice, and the speaker went on in a different tone, "I'll tell you what you can do, lady, if you don

into her neighbour's room. As she flashed by him, where he stood holding his captive, he thought more and more of his angel vision with the moonli

st window was the one to open, because the thief had come crawling along in that direction on the corn

me inches, and turning, saw that the silent, su

. "Now, you just go back to sleep and forge

d Angela. "You'll have to bear witness against him. There'll be a trial o

o much as keep a lady out of this business," her neighbour assu

iration of this new type which had set her wondering. T

said. "I can't thank you

k to bed, or try to forget. There was a big easy chair not far from the door she had just closed, and she subsided into it, limply, realizing that she had gone through a strenuous experi

r perhaps he's strong enough to hold him with one hand. He's the sort of

ng in the next room, where all was so quiet save for the calm voice talking at the t

remained unbroken. Evidently the police had been sent for; had come; had listened to the story of the attempted theft as told by the thief's captor. Angela was sure his version had not been contradicted, or she would certainly have heard a shot. The forest creature would have kept hi