"Now listen, Helen," he cried, seizing her roughly by the shoulder. "It may be that we will have to get out of here in a hurry."
"W-w-w-hy, what's the matter?" she stammered, wincing at the crushing grip of his hand.
He replied with a swift rush of words that fairly stunned her:
"Your aunt may find it out and try to stop us. Now I shall be on the lookout, but I want you to do everything I tell you--I'll see if the coast is clear in case we have to go out the back way. In the meantime I want you to wrap these pictures for me. I wouldn't ask you, dear, only we haven't a minute to wait."
He darted across the room and opened the narrow door that led into the backstairs corridor. Helen stared stupidly after him until he disappeared and then turned toward the chest and went to work wrapping up the precious canvases like one in a trance. She had scarcely started when the folding doors opened noiselessly and Bateato stuck in his head.
Fearing that some harm had come to his master the little Jap had left the Ritz and sprinted all the way to the Gladwin mansion. He was breathless and wild-eyed, yet he had entered the house as silently as a breath of air.
Peeking into the room Bateato noted the ripped-down portières and devastated picture frames. His Oriental mind told him but one thing--robbery. Seized with a violent spasm of loyalty to his master he brushed into the room and exclaimed:
Helen was in too good training by this time to swoon, though she wanted to. She started back in alarm and exclaimed:
Bateato circled round her like an enraged rat.
"You no fool me--I know you tief--you steal picture--I get pleece--much pleece--whole big lot pleece, quick."
Helen pursued him, crying: "See here! Wait a minute! You don't understand! Mr. Gladwin!"
The Jap was gone and the hall door slammed after him before she had reached the folding doors. In another instant Travers Gladwin, who had been making a vain hunt for a revolver in the upper part of the house came flying down the stairs and assailed the frightened girl with another overwhelming shock.
Seeing she was alone he threw himself into the breach headlong:
"Miss Helen, just a moment. I've been waiting for a chance to speak to you. You must get away from here at once. Do you understand--at once! Don't waste time talking--go quick while you have a chance. You mustn't be mixed up in what's coming."