the hour in which he was to have known!

"May I look at it?" he requested calmly.

The other nodded, but his eyes never left Jimmie Dale.

"It will give you an extra moment or so to frame your answer," he said
sarcastically.

Jimmie Dale ignored the thrust, picked up the ring, examined it
deliberately, and set it back again on the table.

"Since I do not know who owns it," he said, "I cannot answer your
question."

"No! Well, then, there is still another matter--a little package that
was in the taxicab with you. Where is that?"

"See here!" said Jimmie Dale irritably. "This has gone far enough! I
have seen no package, large or small, or of any description whatever.
You are evidently mistaking me for some one else. You have only to
telephone to the St. James Club." He reached toward his pocket for his
cardcase. "My name is--"

"Dale," supplied the other curtly. "Don't bother about the card, Mr.
Dale. We have already taken the liberty of searching you." He rose
abruptly from his chair. "I am afraid you do not quite realise your
position, Mr. Dale," he said, with an ominous smile. "Let me make
it clear. I do not wish to be theatrical about this, but we do not
temporise here. You will either answer both of those questions to my
satisfaction, OR YOU WILL NEVER LEAVE THIS PLACE ALIVE."

Jimmie Dale's face hardened. His eyes met the other's steadily.

"Ah, I think I begin to see!" he said caustically. "When I have been
thoroughly frightened I shall be offered my freedom at a price. A sort
of up-to-date game of holdup! The penalty of being a wealthy man! If you
had named your figure to begin with, we would have saved a lot of idle
talk, and you would have had my answer the sooner: NOTHING!"

"Do you know," said the other, in a grimly musing way, "there has always
been one man, but only one until now, that I have wished I might add
to my present associates. I refer to the so-called Gray Seal. To-night
there are two. I pay you the compliment of being the other. But"--he was
smiling ominously again--"we are wasting time, Mr. Dale. I am willing to
expose my hand to the extent of admitting that the information you are
withholding is infinitely more valuable to me than the mere wreaking of
reprisal upon you for a refusal to talk. Therefore, if you will answer,
I pledge you my word you will be free to leave here within five minutes.
If you refuse, you are already aware of the alternative. Well, Mr.
Dale?"

Who was this