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140 across the room, snatched up the street garments Rose had dropped, and struggled madly into them.

Before the shadow of Alan, clinging to the hook and chain, fell athwart the window, she was dressed, and clambered out upon the sill.

The hook hung steady within six inches of the window-ledge. Alan extended his arm.

"Nothing to fear, except lest I hold you too tight, dear one!"

Without a word Judith set her foot beside his in the hook, surrendered to his embrace, and closed her eyes. Immediately they were swung away from the window, over toward the opposite sidewalk, and gently lowered to the street.

"Safe and sound—and not a soul over there the wiser as yet," he declared with a derisive nod toward the home of Trine. "Come along! Here's a limousine waiting. In twenty minutes we'll be at the ferry, in forty over in Jersey, within an hour married, within four hours safe at sea!"

She made the need for haste cover her consternation. And when they were safely ensconced in the town-car and swiftly tearing downtown—the time was not yet. She could not declare herself. Nor could she refuse his endearments, who had gone so long athirst for them. So that presently she was returning them passionately—and the infamy of it all was dim and blurred in her understanding.