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The pursuers returned a little after sunrise next morning without having found the robber. The next day Keith was able to sit up, though the Doctor refused to let him go out of the house. He was alone in his room when a messenger announced that a woman wished to see him. When the visitor came up it was Terpy. She was in a state of suppressed excitement. Her face was white, her eyes glittered.
Those nearest the stage, seeing a man stand between them and the fire, had paused, and the hubbub for a moment had ceased. Keith took advantage of it. "This theatre can be emptied in three minutes if you take your time," he cried; "but the fire is under control." Terpy had seized the burning piece of scenery and torn it down, and was tearing off the flaming edges with her naked hands.
"I want to see her," she said presently. "Whom?" asked Keith. "The younger one. The one you looked at all the time. I want to thank her for the doll. I ran away." Lois was sent for, but when she reached the bedside Terpy was too far gone to speak so that she could be understood.
She danced as she had never danced before, and as she danced the people at the rear filed out, while most of those in the body of the house stood and watched her. As the last spark of flame was extinguished the girl stopped, breathless. Thunders of applause broke out, but ceased as Terpy suddenly sank to the floor, clutching with her blackened hands at her throat.
She is, I may say, the leader of Gumbolt society." Keith shook his head; he had come to work, he declared. "Oh, you need not decline; you will have to know Terpy. I am virtue itself; in fact, I am Joseph nowadays. You know, I belong to the cloth?" Keith's expression indicated that he had heard this fact. "But even I have yielded to her charms intellectual, I mean, of course." Mr.
"What's the matter, Terpy?" asked one of them. "What are you so peppery about? Bank busted?" The young woman explained the matter with more fairness than Keith would have supposed. "Oh, he is just a fool. Let him alone," said the man; whilst another added: "He'll come around, darlin'; don't you bother; and if he don't, I will." " him! He's got to go. I won't let him now.
"I am sorry you did not drop in, if it was for no more than to git supper," he said. "Terpy is a bad one to have against you. She's the kindest gal in the world; but she's got a temper, and when a gal's got a temper, she's worse'n a fractious leader." "I don't want her against me; but I'll be hanged if I will be driven into going anywhere that I don't want to go," asserted Keith.
He sprang to Terpy's side. Her filmy dress caught fire, but Keith jerked off his coat and smothered the flame. Just then the water came, and the fire was subdued. "Strike up that music again," Keith said to the musicians. Then to Terpy he said: "Begin dancing. Dance for your life!" The girl obeyed, and, all blackened as she was, began to dance again.
Plume's congratulations were too distasteful to him for him to stomach them; and Terpy began to show her partiality too plainly for him to take advantage of it. Besides, after all, though Alice Yorke had failed him, it was treason to the ideal he had so long carried in his heart. This still remained to him. He went back to his work, resolved to tear from his heart all memory of Alice Yorke.
When the sleeve was removed it was found that Keith's arm was broken just above the elbow, and the blood was pouring from two small wounds. Terpy levied imperiously on the other passengers for handkerchiefs; then, not waiting for their contributions, suddenly lifting her skirt, whipped off a white petticoat, and tore it into strips. She soon had the arm bound up, showing real skill in her surgery.
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