u're a darned liar! You know perfectly who I mean."

"I tell you I've never heard of the girl."

"And I tell you," retorted Julius, "that Little Willie here is just
hopping mad to go off!"

The Russian wilted visibly.

"You wouldn't dare----"

"Oh, yes, I would, son!"

Kramenin must have recognized something in the voice that carried
conviction, for he said sullenly:

"Well? Granted I do know who you mean--what of it?"

"You will tell me now--right here--where she is to be found."

Kramenin shook his head.

"I daren't."

"Why not?"

"I daren't. You ask an impossibility."

"Afraid, eh? Of whom? Mr. Brown? Ah, that tickles you up! There is such
a person, then? I doubted it. And the mere mention of him scares you
stiff!"

"I have seen him," said the Russian slowly. "Spoken to him face to face.
I did not know it until afterwards. He was one of a crowd. I should not
know him again. Who is he really? I do not know. But I know this--he is
a man to fear."

"He'll never know," said Julius.

"He knows everything--and his vengeance is swift. Even
I--Kramenin!--would not be exempt!"

"Then you won't do as I ask you?"

"You ask an impossibility."

"Sure that's a pity for you," said Julius cheerfully. "But the world in
general will benefit." He raised the revolver.

"Stop," shrieked the Russian. "You cannot mean to shoot me?"

"Of course I do. I've always heard you Revolutionists held life cheap,
but it seems there's a difference when it's your own life in question.
I gave you just one chance of saving your dirty skin, and that you
wouldn't take!"

"They would kill me!"

"Well," said Julius pleasantly, "it's up to you. But I'll just say this.
Little Willie here is a dead cert, and if I was you I'd take a sporting
chance with Mr. Brown!"

"You will hang if you shoot me," muttered the Russian irresolutely.

"No, stranger, that's where you're wrong. You forget the dollars. A
big crowd of solicitors will get busy, and they'll get some high-brow
doctors on the job, and the end of it all will be that they'll say my
brain was unhinged. I shall spend a few months in a quiet sanatorium, my
mental health will improve, the doctors will declare me sane again, and
all will end happily for little Julius. I guess I can bear a few months'
retirement in order to rid the world of you, but don't you kid yourself
I'll hang for it!"

The Russian believed him. Corrupt himself, he believed implicitly in the
power of mon