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Rh With a satisfied leer Marrophat settled back and pocketed his revolver.

Surmising that the gasoline tank had been punctured by the bullet, he was inclined to believe that Marrophat hoped to stop the taxicab by depriving it, in course of time, of its fuel. With this in mind he was presently surprised to see Marrophat's car stop and Marrophat himself get down. The brow of a hill intervened, shutting off sight of the blackguard as he knelt and lit a match. It was the girl who gave the alarm, suddenly withdrawing her head from the window.

"He's fired the gasoline! It's flaming along the street, following the line of the leak—and catching up with us."

Without pausing to put his hand to the latch, Alan kicked the door open.

"Jump!" he cried. "For your life—jump! As soon as that flame catches up with the tank"

Simultaneously the chauffeur, overhearing, shut off the power. The three gained the sidewalk barely in time. In the flutter of an eyelash the explosion followed. There was a roar—and then a heap of smoking ruins.

Without waiting to admire the spectacle, Alan caught the arm of the girl and hurried her up the street. Chance brought them to the next corner as another cab, fareless, hove into view. Promising its