The crash of a breaking door reached her ears, then hurried footsteps
began falling on the main stairway leading to her chamber.
"Some one is coming!" she fiercely muttered. "Perhaps another detective!
I must be off!"
Yet so bitter was her hatred of Nick, and so intensely enjoyable to her
the trick she had served him, that she lingered for an instant in the
face of the impending danger, and screamed down the well, with a mocking
laugh:
"I'm obliged to leave you, Detective Carter! While I'm gone--keep
whistling!"
At the same moment Chick Carter rushed into the chamber and caught a
glimpse of her through the wreathing smoke, as she fled through the
lighted passage.
One glance at the scene gave Chick the entire situation.
He drew back, took a short run, and with a magnificent bound cleared the
open well, and leaped squarely through the closet and into the lighted
passage.
Then the crash of a heavy door, suddenly closed, and the shooting of
bolts, told him that Cervera had prevented pursuit for a time at least,
and Chick swung round to the open well, to see if Nick needed him.
"Hello, Nick!" he shouted. "The woman--"
"Let her go!" roared Nick, still fiercely fighting the flames that
threatened the woodwork of the well.
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