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"It will give you strength and courage," he urged "Poor little girl! Poor little girl!"

She looked up into his face, a new light co into her eyes

"Don't talk now," he said softly "Take your time Hold to my arm, please There! In a little while you'll be able to tell me all about it--and then we'll set about to find a way to escape these devils We'll laugh at 'em, after all"

For five or ten minutes he led her back and forth across the room, very tenderly At first she was faint and uncertain; then, as her strength and wits cae took the place of despair She smiled wanly and asked him to sit doith her

"A way to escape, you said," she murmured, as he dropped to her side "Where are we? What is it all about?"

"Not so loud," he cautioned "I'll be perfectly candid with you You'll have to be very, very brave But wait Perhaps it will be easier for you to tell me what has happened to you, so far as you know I can throw light on the whole situation, I think Tell me, please, in your oay and time We're in a sorry mess, and it looks black, but, this much I can tell you: you are to be set free in a few days, unharmed You may rest easy Thathis ar alet out all right," he affiret you out of this or die in the attempt Sh! Don't oppose me," he went on whimsically "I've alanted to be a hero, and here's my chance Now tell me what happened to you"

Her piquant, ever-sprightly face had lost the arrogance that had troubled all his drea and so sorely distressed that he had it in his heart to clasp her in his arhtened child Her face grew cloudy with the effort to concentrate her thoughts; a piteous frown settled upon her brow

"I' It is all so terrible--so unaccountable It's like a drea you here in this place is really the strangest part of it I cannot believe that I a and anxiously into his face, her eyebrows drawn together in an earnest squint of uncertainty "Oh, Mr King, I have had such a dreadful--dreadful time Am I awake?"