Gathering her up in his arms, Frank Garrick sprung quickly down the steps. For a moment he stood there with his helpless burden in his arms.
"This is quite an unexpected go," he muttered, standing there undecided for a moment. "I must leave her here a moment, that is certain, while I run for a man's voice."
He placed Ida on the the lower step, in a sitting position, and darted down the street in the direction of a cab-stand.
He did not see the open window of an adjoining house, because of the closed blind which protected it, nor the crouching form of the woman behind it, who had heard and witnessed all.
Like a flash she caught up her hat, which was lying on an adjacent table, and sprung out of the door.
"I knew he would come to see her at last!" she said, fairly hissing the words. "They have had a quarrel. That is why he has stayed away so long. He has gone after a cab to take her elsewhere. But I will block his little game!" cried Nannie Rogers—for it was she. "I shall take a terrible revenge upon him by striking him through her."
Taking a short cut to a nearer cab-stand, she hailed the first vehicle. The man sprung down from his box.
"Why, is that you, Nannie?" he cried, in unfeigned surprise.
"Yes, Joe," she answered, quickly. "I want your cab for a while."