"She's inclined to lead us a chase, too," said Quirk.
"Let's after her."
"Agreed."
And with a shout, the three started in pursuit, scarce conscious, in their excitement, of the object they had in view.
With a scream, the light form bounded onward, and fled
away like the wind. Strong limbs followed; but her feet were fleet, and lightly clad, and with the hood falling from her head, and hands clasped upon a parcel she carefully carried, she seemed almost to fly before her pursuers. With a cry of delight, she saw the gleam of a lamp come through an open door, a little beyond, when, as she attempted to spring an intervening gutter, her foot struck the curb-stone, and she fell to the earth.
In an instant she was lifted in the arms of Quirk and Clinton.
"Oh, grandpapa! grandpapa!" she shrieked, in thrilling accents, "what will become of your poor, poor Blanche? Help! help!"
Her cries were unheeded by her merciless captors, and they bore her down an adjacent street.