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Once inside, however, she drew a long breath The doors were still

locked, and the keys gone So Herman had not returned But as she stood

there, hurried stealthy footsteps caate In a panic she flew up the stairs and into her rooes She stood there, listening, her

heart pounding in her ears, and below she distinctly heard a key in the

kitchen door She did the only thing she could think of She lifted the

door into place, and stood against it, bracing it with her body

Whoever it as in the kitchen now,howeverThen: "Hsst!"

She knew that it was Rudolph, and she braced herself mentally Rudolph

was keener than Herman If he found her door in that condition, and she

herself dressed! Working silently and still holding the door in place,

she flung off her coat She even unpinned her hair and unfastened her

dress

When his signal remained unanswered a second ti up

"Anna!" he repeated

"Yes?"

He was startled to hear her voice so close to the door In the dark she

heard hi for the knob He happened on the padlock instead, and

he laughed a little By that she knew that he was not quite sober

"Locked you in, has he?"