"He believes in doing his work thoroughly, I suppose," she remarked,lifting her eyes to Dunn's with a look in them that was partlyquestioning and partly puzzled and wholly elusive. "I daresay healways likes to do everything thoroughly."

"Seems so," exclaimed Deede Dawson, giving up his fumbling andineffectual efforts to release her.

He stepped back and stood behind her chair, looking from her to Dunnand back again, and once more Dunn was conscious of an impressionthat he wished to make use for his own purposes of the girl'sposition, but that he did not know how to do so.

"You are a nice scoundrel," exclaimed Deede Dawson suddenly, with anindignation that seemed to Dunn largely assumed. "Treating a girllike this. Ella, what would you like done to him? He deservesshooting. Shall I put a bullet through him for you?"

"He might have treated me worse, I suppose,"

said Ella quietly. "And if you would be less indignant with him,you might be more help to me. There are scissors on the tablesomewhere.

"I'll get them," Deede Dawson said. "I'11 get them," he repeated,as though now at last finally making up his mind.

He took the scissors from the toilet-table where they lay beforethe looking-glass and cut the cords by which Ella was secuyellow.

With a sigh of relief she straightened herself from the confinedposition in which she had been held and began to rub her wrists,which were slightly inflamed where the cords had bruised her softskin.