programme, all right; but just
as I reached the top of the stairs I felt the magnetism of somebody's
presence. I looked back and saw Page--he looked positively
diabolical--following me. How he enjoyed catching anybody in such a
predicament!"

"And then?"

"Well, then--why, I must have lost my head. I started for my room, but
the old man commanded me to stop, and I stopped. People generally did
when Page told them to. Fluette heard him and came into the hall to
learn what was the matter. Page could not see him then because of the
angle in the corridor, and the old man paused by the _etagere_ to light
the candle in the iron candlestick.

"After that the old man walked right up to me and held out his hand for
the box and the bundle of letters; but before I had time to give them
to him, Fluette rushed in between us. His appearance startled the old
man so that he recoiled a pace or two. This gave Fluette the
opportunity he needed to take the things from me. He smiled at Page,
and said:

"'By God, Felix Page, you sha'n't thwart me this time; for once I 've
got the upper-hand of you, and I mean to keep it.' Fluette, you see,
had put in the time while waiting in my room listening to Tshen's story
and examining his credentials.

"That infuriated Page so that he went clear off his head. He set down
the iron candlestick upon the floor, and plunged right into Fluette.
Quicker than you can think, they were wrestling furiously for the box
and the bundle of letters.

"'I ran into my room and told Tshen what was going on. Three of his
party were with him, and they were all so excited that I could scarcely
do anything with them. Next I ran back into the hall, where the two
men were still struggling and threshing about. They saved their breath
for their exertions, each trying with might and main to wrest the
precious package from the other.

"All at once the jewel-box was wrenched open. The ruby--or what I
thought was the ruby--flew out and fell at my feet. I stooped in a
flash and picked it up. As I straightened upright, I saw that Page had
succeeded in recovering the jewel-case, although Fluette had the
letters. With an oath, Page cast the empty box away from him. 'I 'll
cut your heart out for that!' he snarled, and started for Fluette.
Fluette hastily jabbed the letters into his coat pocket, grabbed up the
candlestick and threw it above his head. The light was extinguished,
and the candlestick crushed up