The place appeared to be unoccupied, yet there was not the usual notice, “This House to Let,” in the window. The front gate was fastened, but was easily stepped over. There were blinds to the windows of the front rooms, but otherwise from an outside view they appeared to be empty.

Alec knocked at the door, a loud resounding knock.

There was no answer, no sound of movement within.

He tried the door. It was a common two-inch, fastened by a common lock. Without thought of possible consequences, in case his information was unreliable, Alec put his shoulder to the door, and putting forth his great strength, was pleased to find the staple give way.

An empty passage, an empty house, quiet, desolate. Yet stay! One of the four doors before him was fastened. He turned the handle. It was also locked. Impatient, eagerly he shouted out—

“Bertha! are you there?”

* * * * *

The day following the abduction was one of nervous excitement to Huey Gosper. He called in at the Golden Bar, and feigned a very natural astonishment at the great piece of news Ruby had for him. He quite supported her opinion that “The Squatter” must be at the bottom of it. “The Squatter” was evidently “gone” on her; he was the possessor of untold wealth. What more likely than that he had used the power of his money to serve his own ends.

So spoke Ruby, and her tone was neither one of great commiseration for Bertha, or great condemnation to her supposed abductor. Perhaps the prospect of being carried off under these conditions did not appear so terrible to her.

Huey wandered about the town restlessly. He took an unaccustomed number of drinks, but they failed to act as a sedative. He answered a large number of letters addressed to “The Tinman,” but if his correspondents were pleased with the tips he sent on this occasion they were mortals easily satisfied. One question was ever uppermost in his mind, “What should he do next?” His plan, while yet in perspective, had appeared simple enough. Disguised he would cage her, and later, in his own proper person, he would come to her rescue with a tale of how he had discovered that Alec Booth was her abductor. In this way he hoped to gain the gratitude of Bertha, and the overthrow of his enemy.