For one brief instant there was the dead silence which follows general astonishment—and the Burglar ran for the door. Several pairs of hands reached out from the crowd toward him.
"There he goes, there!" exclaimed the Burglar excitedly. "That man ahead! I'll catch him!"
The ruse opened the way and he went through. The Girl was waiting at the foot of the steps.
"They're coming!" he panted as he dragged her along. "Climb in that last car on the end there!"
Without a word the Girl ran to the auto and clambered into the front seat. Several men dashed out of the house. Wonderingly her eyes followed the vague figure of the Burglar as he sped along in the shadow of a wall. He paused beneath a window, picked up something and raced for the car.
"Stop him!" came a cry.
The Burglar flung his burden, which fell at the Girl's feet with a clatter, and leaped. The auto swayed as he landed beside her. With a quick twist of the wheel he headed out.
"Hurry, Dick, they're coming!" gasped the Girl.
The motor beneath them whirred and panted and the car began to move.
"Halt, or I'll fire," came another cry.