the mine over an hour before it was deemed safe to venture out with
the captives.

Near the opening at the foot of the bluff behind the abandoned flour
mill, gags were tied tightly over the girls' mouths and their hands
were bound in front of them, and they were assisted one by one down a
gradual, but rough, incline and into the waiting machines. Snow
falling in millions of huge flakes, a fact that evidently caused the
kidnappers more worry than the possibility of detection by persons in
the vicinity, for remarks escaped some of them relative to the
importance of haste before the roads became impassable to automobiles.
But the storm served them one good purpose if it menaced them in
another respect. It rendered the darkness of the night more
impenetrable and kept the streets almost free of pedestrians.
Moreover, the plotters were well supplied with means and methods of
guarding against escape or rescue. The gags and cloth manacles were so
well made that one might have suspected them of being products of a
manual training school of burglars' wives. During the passage from the
mine to the automobiles each of the girls wore a shawl thrown over her
head and pinned close in front, thus concealing both the gags and the
manacled condition of their hands.

At last they were all in the machines, each of which was in charge of
a driver. Three of the girls were put into each automobile and one of
the men got in with them to see that their conduct was as per
scheduled program. Then the start was made.

On, on they went, out into the country and along a road that Marion
knew led into the heart of the mountains. She could see the dim,
shadowy form of High Peak in the distance. Meanwhile, as she peered