e hands doubled suddenly.

"It is some drunken sot," he snarled out, "that knows no better than to
come here and rouse the whole neighbourhood! It is true, in a moment we
will have the police running in from the street. But wait--wait--I'll
teach the fool a lesson!" He dashed around the table, ran for the
window, wrenched the catch up, flung the window open, and, snarling
again, leaned out--and instantly the knocking ceased.

And instantly then, with a sharp cry, as the whole ghastly meaning of it
swept upon him, Jimmie sprang after the other--too late! Came the
roar of a revolver shot, a stream of flame cutting the darkness of the
alleyway from the window in the house opposite--and, without a sound,
old Isaac crumpled up, hung limply for a moment over the sill, and slid
in a heap to the floor.

On his hands and knees, protected from the possibility of another bullet
by the height of the sill, Jimmie Dale, quick in every movement now,
dragged the inert form toward the table away from the window, and bent
hurriedly over the other. A minute perhaps he stayed there--and then
rose slowly.

Burton, horror-stricken, unmanned, beside himself, was hanging,
clutching with both hands at the table edge.

"He's dead," said Jimmie Dale laconically.

Burton flung out his hands.

"Dead!" he whispered hoarsely. "I--I think I'm going mad. Three days of
hell--and now this. We'd--we'd better get out of here quick--they'll get
us if--"

Jimmie Dale's hand fell with a tight grip on Burton's shoulder.

"There won't be any more shots fired--pull yourself together!"

Burton stared at him in a demented way.

"What's--what's it mean?" he stammered.

"It means that I didn't put two and two together," said Jimmie Dale a
little bitterly. "It means that there's a dozen crooks been dancing
old Isaac's tune for a long time--and that some of them have got him at
last."

Burton reached out suddenly and clutched Jimmie Dale's arm.

"Then I'm safe!" He mumbled the words, but there was dawning hope,
relief in his white face. "Safe! I'm safe--if you'll only give me back
those stones. Give them back to me, for God's sake give them back to me!
You don't know--you don't understand. I stole them because--because he
made me--because I--it was the only chance I had. Oh, my God, you don't
know what the last three days have been! Give them back to me, won't
you--won't you? You--you don't know!"

"Don't lose your nerve!" said Jimmie Dale sharply.