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right now!" He laid hold of her arm and began drawing her toward his shop at the end of the alley.

"Stop! Stop! I don't want to go. Where are you going to take me?"

"Where do you want to go?"

"Nowhere! There's no place for me to go! Let me alone!" She tried to jerk loose from him and her ears strained toward the station.

"Nessie, what do you mean?" cried the jeweller, frightened at her wild manner.

She tried to pull herself free. "Stop! Let go!" she wheezed in her effort. Suddenly she went limp and cried out miserably, "Oh, I've got enough of you and Irontown and ever'body in the whole world. Do please go away and let me alone. Let me alone! Turn me loose!" She whipped out the last in sharp cries and again tried to wrench herself free.

The jeweller ran his arm through hers and so linked her to him.

"Nessie," he warned, "they are going to mob you!"

"No, they won't!"

"But they will!"

"I say they won't. Turn me loose!"

"What'll you do?"

"I know. Turn me loose."

At the girl's tone the jeweller caught her other shoulder and tried to see her face in the gloom.

"Nessie!" he cried in a shocked voice, "you don't mean . . ." he broke off in horror at her implication.

The girl stood silent save for her fluttering audible breathing. The fingers on Nessie's shoulder became a palm drawing her pityingly toward the jeweller.

"My poor dear child, what a horrible idea! Poor girl, don't let them drive you mad! I'll do anything, all I can to help you, Nessie, anything in the world I can do. I've got a car in front of my shop. I've hunted you all afternoon. Now, come along, Nessie." His arm linked through hers, slipped down around her waist. He was drawing her to him,