is
shoulder. Artie Brower was huddled down in his armchair practically out
of sight; Miss Emory and I had reseated ourselves in the only other two
chairs in the room, so that we were in the same relative positions as
when we had been bound and left. Only the confusion of the papers on the
floor and the open safe would have struck an observant eye.

"It is well that you come," said Tim to Cortinez in Spanish. "The senor
sent me to conduct these two to the East Room and I like not the job
alone. Enter."

He held the door with one hand and fairly dragged Cortinez through with
the other. Instantly he closed the door and cast himself on Cortinez's
back. I had already launched myself at the Mexican's throat.

The struggle was violent but brief. Fortunately I had not missed my
spring at our enemy's windpipe, so he had been unable to shout. The
noise of our scuffle sounded loud enough within the walls of the room;
but those walls were two feet thick, and the door and windows closed.

"Get something to gag him with, and the cords," panted Tim to the girl.

Brower opened his eyes again.

"I can beat that," he announced.

He produced his hypodermic and proceeded to mix a gunful of the dope.

"This'll fix him," he observed, turning back the Mexican's sleeve. "You
can lay him outside and if anybody comes along they'll think he's
asleep--as usual."

This we did when the dope had worked.

It was now high time to think of our next move. For weapons we had the
gun and knife taken from Cortinez and the miserable little automatic
belonging to Brower. That was all. It was perfectly evident that we
could not get out through the regular doorways, as, by Tim's statement,
they were all closed and guarded. On my representation it was decided to
try the roof.

We therefore knotted together the cord that had bound me and two sheets
from the bed, and sneaked cautiously out on the verandah, around the
corner to the water barrel, and so to the vantage point of the roof.

The chill of the night was come, and the stars hung cold in the sky. It
seemed that the air would snap and crackle were some little resolving
element to be dropped into its suspended hush. Not a sound was to be
heard except a slow drip of water from somewhere in the courtyard.

It was agreed that I, as the heaviest, should descend first. I landed
easily enough and steadied the rope for Miss Emory who came next. While
I was waiting I distinctly heard, from the directio