nd
determination that came over Brennan's face was caused by indignation of
Gibson's duplicity or by friendship for Consuello, whom Brennan had
never seen, John did not know, but a thrill of encouragement swept
through him as he realized that he was not alone in the fight to save
her.

He saw Brennan signal him to approach. Slipping off the headgear he
moved noiselessly and leaned forward so that he could hear what Brennan
whispered to him.

"It won't be long now before they'll be leaving," Brennan said. "Slip
out without making any noise and bring Benton and the mayor for the
picture."

John went quickly to the door, where Murphy was on guard.

"Everything o. k.?" asked Murphy in a hoarse whisper. John nodded and
went up and out into the alley. He found the mayor and Benton waiting
nervously in the automobile.

"We've got enough to ruin them," he said, anticipating the mayor's
eagerness. He climbed into the car and the mayor drove it quietly into
the alley, switching off the lights as Brennan had ordered him to do. He
stopped the automobile about thirty feet past the door of the saloon. In
a minute Benton was setting up his camera on its tripod directly across
the alley from the door.

At Benton's request, John stood at the door and flashed on his electric
torch long enough for the photographer to get the focus. Although it was
less than five seconds that he stood with his back only a foot from the
door from which Cummings and Gibson were to emerge, John's imagination
created a terrible fear that they would come upon him in the helpless
position in which he stood.

"All set," Benton called to him in a sharp whisper. Crossing the alley
he saw Benton filling his flashlight gun with flash powder and heard him
chanting, softly to himself:

"'E would dot an' carry one
Till the longest day was done;
An 'e didn't seem to know the use o' fear.
If we charged or broke or cut,
You could bet your bloomin' nut,
'E'd be waitin' fifty paces right flank rear."

He was at Benton's side when Murphy, Smith and Brennan, in rapid
succession came quickly up into the alley from the basement stair.
Sharply Brennan ordered John to follow Murphy and Smith into the
automobile while he remained with Benton, who stood poised with his
finger on the trigger of the flash gun.

As soon as John, with Murphy and Smith, was in the automobile, he looked
back. The door opened and Cummings and Gibson stepped