"Won't your bonds hold as long as necessary? You see," she said,
turning to Warren, "it will be a day or two perhaps before your friends
find you. And even then I don't believe you will tell my plans. It
will be too late. We are going to tame these nice little girls, and
make beggars of them. Something useful, you see, instead of letting
them grow up in idleness as they would if they stayed with you. We
will go to Prague from here and I will give the little one to my
sister. Then we will get out of this accursed country soon as we can,
and get away where money comes easy to the poor war refugees. What do
you think of that?" She leered close to the boy's face.

Everything was ready. The food, poisoned as Ivan knew it to be, stood
temptingly between them, on the table. It was not an unpleasing meal.
To Warren, who had not tasted solid food for two days, everything
looked inviting. Ivan felt himself shaking with excitement. All was
ready. The men unbarred the door, and the woman with a last sneering
jest at the boys, picked up little Rika, while Michael lifted Elinor.
The child screamed.

"Warren, don't let them take me away! Don't let them take me!" she
cried over and over.

"Be a good girl! We will come for you very soon," said Ivan swiftly,
as she paused for breath.

The child screamed again, and Michael wound a thick muffler across her
face.

The heavy door closed with a clash. The boys heard a faint cry, and
then the great key turned in the lock. They looked at each other.