he thick of a most interesting experiment, and
you've spoilt it all by your infernal and officious interference."

"Interesting experiment? I call it disgusting."

"Here, drop that gun sharp, or I'll blow your head into the river."

The Jewish-looking man with the shotgun starts. The other's revolver is
pointing right at his chest, and there is no mistaking the determination
in his steely eyes. He knows full well that there is every reason why
his life is in mortal peril. So he drops the gun sullenly into the
grass.

"Now, then. Take five steps back from it. If you move otherwise you're
dead."

There is no alternative but to obey, and this the threatened one does.

"Don't know if you've gone mad," he says. "Fooling with snakes must
have sent you off your chump, I reckon."

"Do you? Well, you chose to fasten yourself on to me for your own
purpose--to wit, blackmail. Now you are going to write down, here and
now, something which will put it out of your power to try any more
blackmail on me for ever."

"I'll see you damned first. I'll see you damned before I write
anything."

"Will you? But you'll have to wait for that some time--till you've had
a spell of damnation yourself first. Now, then, are you going to do
it?"

"No."

The pistol cracks. It is a miss. The bullet has grazed the other's
ear. The assailed is standing just on the edge of the bank with his
back to the river.

"Don't move. I'll give you another chance. I'm aiming lower this time.
You'll get it bang amidships, between wind and water, so to say, and--
it'll hurt more. You were going to stick to me till I came to your
price, were you? But you've stuck rather too tight."

"Oh, but--you'll swing for this," says the other, between dry, tremulous
lips.

"Not much `swing.' Why, nobody will be any the wiser. Not a soul has
seen us together. You disappear, that's all. Well, are you going to do
as I tell you? I've got everything here--well-filled fountain pen, and
paper; strangely out of place in these surroundings, still, here they
are."

The threatened man does not immediately reply. He is calculating his
chances, and in a flash it is borne home to him that he has no chances.
Opposite him stands a desperate and determined man dictating terms.
These he will have to accept, and will feel anything but safe even then;
for well he knows that the other has every motive for sending him out of
the world.

"Well? Are you goin