Instead, Jane, weak and nearly unconscious, fell into his arms!
"Oh, Speedy, you've come at last," she gasped.
"Jane!" he cried. "How did you get there?"
"Carter—he put me in there. I heard him telephoning—and he locked me up."
Speedy had her in his arms, was smoothing back her hair, asking questions. He laid her tenderly on the couch and brought water from the kitchen. Jane quickly revived.
Speedy turned to his supporters, who were standing in awed surprise in the doorway and down the hall.
"He's gone," said Speedy.
"And I guess we better be going too," grinned Barnett, the butcher, looking at Speedy and Jane. He waved the others back and they piled out of the house and dispersed to their homes. Excitement still seethed on De Lacey Street. The neighborhood for the past two days had been thoroughly enjoying thrills for the first time since Manhattan was bought from the Indians for twenty-four dollars!
When they were alone at last, Jane told her story and Speedy united with her to relate to Pop all the critical devlopments that had taken place while he was away. Pop listened, all ears.
"Why, the doggoned skunk!" was his impressive comment on Carter and that worthy's activities. "And to think that I was dumb enough to be taken in by him!"
He seemed to regard this as a sign of a failing
