ep a murderer handy to stab
people in their sleep!"

The proprietor was now close. He brought up abruptly at the daring
accusation and glared at the eldest brother. "Don't you give me any such
talk as that," he said. His teeth came together with a snap, and he
reached instinctively to the place where, in the daytime, was the pocket
that held a ready pistol.

"Don't you dare deny it," answered the eldest brother. He brought a
revolver in line with the hotel man's eyes. "Do you see that?" he
queried. "Well, just be very careful, and come here. I want to show you
something." He motioned the other to precede him. Together they entered
the bedroom. A curious crowd followed and filled the apartment. "Now,"
went on the eldest brother, "look at that bed."

One by one they stepped forward, ran their fingers through the slits in
the covers, smiled grimly, and backed away to whisper among themselves.
The hotel man did like the rest, only his smile was pacifying, cringing.

When all had had their turn, the eldest brother faced the crowd. "I
heard last night," he said, "that more 'n one man has hired a room in
this hotel and never been seen again. So I shoved my bed against the
door, before I went to sleep, to make sure we'd be safe. That knife cut
shows how safe we was." He seized the proprietor roughly by the
shoulder. "There's a remedy for holes like this. Like as not, these
gentlemen know about it." There was a murmur of assent from the
listening crowd. "Now I'll give you jus' a minute to show the gentlemen
where that secret entrance is that I looked for last night. Then we'll
talk remedy."

He cocked a pistol, his fingers still on the hotel man's shoulder, and
held the eyes of the latter steadily. They stood thus for a moment, face
to face.

"I don't know anything about a secret entrance," growled the hotel man
at last, with an oath. "But if you'll take your hand off me and put down
that shooting-iron, I'll help you hunt it, if there is one."

The eldest brother did as he was asked, and the hotel man began to walk
about, looking above him, examining the walls, scrutinizing the floor.
Soon all the rest were similarly occupied, even the eldest brother
taking his eyes off his host to search the boards at his feet.

The opportunity for which the hotel man was waiting came. While the
attention of all was diverted, he moved around until he was opposite the
door, and then slipped through it with a defiant yell. Down the dark