With almost superhuman effort he freed himself from the fierce beast, and then, beside himself with pain and rage, uttered a volley of oaths and cried out that he would kill Gertie.
The child, once free, darted from the room and tore down the stairs and out into the Dials, never stopping to look behind her till, white, breathless, and almost fainting, she had got clear of Little Queer Street and could pause for breath.
As she did so she heard a quick patter behind her, and in another second Lion was by her side.
With a cry of joy the child dropped on her knees, and, seizing his head, kissed him passionately.
‘Oh, Lion, you’ll take care of me, won’t you?’ she moaned.
‘I shall never go back home again. He would kill us both.’
The huge brute wagged his tail, then, looking up into his little mistress’s face, licked her check gently.
It was lucky for Gertie that they were in a dark, quiet corner, where there was little traffic, or they would have had a crowd round them.
As it was, Gertie felt safe directly Lion was with her, and, wiping away her tears, hurried along towards Oxford Street.
She wanted to get out into a main thoroughfare and ask someone the nearest way to Miss Adrian’s.