Arnold turned reluctantly back to his own room, where Ruth, was anxiously waiting. He closed the door carefully behind him.
"Isaac has escaped," he announced, "and no one was hurt."
She drew a little sigh of immense relief.
"Did they tell you what the charge was?"
"Not definitely," he replied. "So far as I could make out from what the sergeant said, it was keeping bad company as much as anything."
"The police are in the rooms now?" she asked.
"Three more of them," he assented. "I don't know what they want but evidently you'll have to stay here. Now I'm going to light this spirit-lamp and make some coffee."
He moved cheerfully about the room, and she watched him all the time with almost pathetic earnestness. Presently he brought the breakfast things over to her side and sat at the foot of her couch while the water boiled. He took her hand and held it caressingly.
"I shouldn't worry about Isaac," he said. "I don't suppose he is really very much mixed up with these fellows. He'll have to keep out of the way for a time, that's all."
"There were the pistols," she faltered, doubtfully.