He was about to fasten one end of the twisted sheets about the bedpost,
to let himself down; but hearing the door-knob slowly turning he did not
finish the job. He dropped the sheet, lowered himself by his hands from
the window-sill and let go. He landed without damage.
"Come," he said, and led the way to the street. At the first corner he
turned. At the next corner he turned. At the third corner a cab was in
sight. He helped her in.
"Do you know," Jan whispered to her, "a good hotel I could tell him to
drive to?"
"With me looking as I am? Why, no. Tell him any hotel we can get into."
Jan addressed the cabman.
"I want"--he said it very distinctly, so that there could be no
mistake--"a good hotel to take a lady to."
"A lady? An' a _good_ hotel? Sure thing. Jump in."
Jan got in and sat opposite to her. She was restoring order to her hair.
"Did the cabby laugh?" she asked.
"No. Why should he?"
"Why?" Jan saw that she was staring at him. Suddenly her stare was
transformed to a soft smile. "Oh-h--sometimes these cabbies think
they're funny."
Presently the cab stopped. Jan looked out. It was a hotel, with a wide
door and a narrow one. The narrow door was marked "Ladies' Entrance,"
and through the transom a red light shone.
"Wait," said Jan.
He went through the wide door to the desk. "I want a room for a lady,"
he said to the clerk.
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