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For the girl he felt a deep pity In the past he had had knowledge ofthrough the deadly rant hypocrisy of her environinative and keenly sensitive, he realized hat depth of horror the girl anticipated a return to her home and friends after the childish escapade which had culedy of the most sordid sort

As the three held a council of war at the rear of the deserted house they were startled by the loud squeaking of brake bands on the road in front Bridge ran quickly into the kitchen and through to the front roo car which had drawn up before the sagging gate As the fore and broad shouldered, raised his eyes to the building Bridge srin, nor did he linger to inspect the other members of the party; but turned and ran quickly back to his coot to beat it!" he whispered; "they've brought Burton himself down here"

"Who's Burton?" demanded the youth

"He's the best operative west of New York City," replied Bridge, as he moved rapidly toward an outhouse directly in rear of the

Once behind the small, dilapidated structure which had once probably housed fare paused and looked about "They'll search here," he prophesied, and then; "Those woods look good torank in the damp ravine at the bottom of the little valley, ran to within a hundred feet of the out-building Dense undergrowth choked the ground to a height of eight or ten feet around the boles of the close set trees If they could gain the seclusion of that tangled jungle there was little likelihood of their being discovered, provided they were not seen as they passed across the open space between their hiding place and the wood

"We'd better e, and a mo the out-house between themselves and the farm house Almost in front of the into the thicket Single-file they entered, to be almost instantly hidden from view, not only from the house but from any other point , narrow and closely walled by the budding verdure of the new Spring Birds sang or twittered about theiving forth no sound as they passed, save a faint sucking noise as a foot was lifted from each watery seat