A BULLET WHISTLED ONLY A FEW INCHES FROM HIS HEAD

PHINEAS DUGE DROPPED HIS CIGARETTE, AND FELL ON HIS KNEES BY HER SIDE

"FOR GOD'S SAKE, TELL ME WHO HAS IT, MISS DUGE!" HE IMPLORED

"ISN'T IT THE BUSINESS OF ANY MAN TO LOOK AFTER A CHILD LIKE YOU?"

VIRGINIA, WITH A LITTLE MURMUR OF DELIGHT, RECOGNIZED MR. MILDMAY
STANDING BEFORE HER

SIMULTANEOUSLY SHE HEARD A STEALTHY MOVEMENT OUTSIDE

THEN HE CAME SLOWLY BACK, AND PUTTING HIS ARM AROUND VIRGINIA'S WAIST,
KISSED HER

SHE THOUGHT NOTHING OF THE MOTIVE OF HER COMING, ONLY TO PLACE THE DOOR
BETWEEN HER AND THIS!

HE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY OF WATCHING A SEARCH CONDUCTED UPON SCIENTIFIC
PRINCIPLES

THEN IN THE MIDST OF HER WONDERING CAME THE ELUCIDATION OF THESE THINGS

HE WAS ONLY JUST IN TIME TO SAVE HER FROM FALLING