hen
it sank. For very dear to that boy's heart had been the dream of
rescuing her himself. And then he hated himself for that base envy.
For what did it matter as long as little Arlee was safe, and that
she was gone with Falconer, the empty room and the signs of hasty
departure all spoke in witness. He wondered sharply how they had
gone and whether he had better try to follow them and then thought
it was shrewder to go back the way he had come and from below to try
to guard whatever descent they must make.

He turned swiftly and crossed to the door. With a hand outstretched
toward it he caught suddenly, beneath all the distant din, the click
of a sliding lock, and he whirled about, dropping his right hand
into his pocket, to see a pale face staring at him from the other
side of the bed.

"Not a move--or you drop!" said Captain Kerissen. The candle lights
glinted on the muzzle of a gun leveled steadily at him.

"Stay where you are," the Captain added, and Billy stayed, and
through the dusk the two men stood eyeing each with a glare of
hatred. But Kerissen's eyes held hatred triumphant.

"So, Monsieur," said the Turk. "This is the midnight call you
gentlemen pay--in the chamber of my wife."

"Your wife!" Billy gave a snort of unbelief. "She says you did not
marry her!"

"When you are found dead--if you are found," the other continued,
looking lovingly along the sight, "there will not even be a question
into the cause. You will be carted off like carrion--carrion that
prowled too near."

"Just the same you've made a mistake," said Billy in a dogged and
argumentative tone. "I'm not interested in visiting any wife of
yours. The lady I'm representing says you didn't marry her. But she
says you did keep back most of her jewelry and she's giving the
story to the papers to-morrow unless I return with the stuff
to-night."

He could not guess what impression this speech was making.

"I am not interested in your stories, Monsieur," the Turk returned
blandly. "I am interested only in your dispatching--which I feel
should be prolonged beyond the mercy of a shot."

"Look here, I'm not a common robber and you know it," said Billy,
and his voice sounded rough and angry. "I'm here to collect the
property of the lady you detained here, while she was under contract
in Vienna. I don't want anything more than _belongs_ to her. She
left----"

"With a great deal more upon her than she brought! But am I to
suppose, Monsieur, th