who had snatched his Jewess from him, might be able to set in motion
those mills which grind erring servants of the State into disgrace
and ruin. He certainly had a large and authoritative way with him.

"Will you come to the Bureau, then, and speak with the chief?" he
suggested. "You see, your action causes a difficulty."

"No, I won't," said Lucas flatly.

He also was in doubt. It seemed to him that he stood in a
considerable peril, and he was aware that his mood of high temper was
failing him. It needed an effort to maintain an assured and
uncompromising front. Behind him, on the unlighted stairs, the woman
breathed heavily. He summoned what he had of stubbornness to uphold
him. The affair so far had gone valiantly; he meant that it should
continue on the same plane.

He saw the officer hesitate frowningly, and quaked. In a moment the
man might make up his mind and seize him; there was an urgent
necessity for some action that should quell him. Like all weak men,
he saw a resource in violence, and as the officer opened his lips to
speak again he interrupted.

"No more!" he shouted. "You have heard what I had to say; that is
enough. Now go!"

He pointed frantically with his flute, and the officer, at the sudden
lifting of his arm, made a surprised movement, which Lucas
misunderstood.

With a cry that was half terror and half ecstasy he smote, and the
flute beat the officer's cap down over his eyes.

"Yei Bohu!" ejaculated the officer, falling back,

Lucas did not wait for him to thrust the cap away and recover
himself. He had done his utmost, and the next step must rest with
Providence. It was but two paces to the doorway. The officer was not
quick enough to see his panic-stricken retirement. He recovered his
sight only to see the slam of the door, which seemed to close in his
face with a contemptuous and defiant emphasis. It was like a final
fist shaken at him to drive home a warning. He shook his head
despondently.

On the other side of the door Lucas, fighting with his loud breath,
heard his slow footsteps on the cobbles as he departed. He waited,
hardly daring to relax his mind to hope, till he heard the party of
them drawing off. He was weak with unaccustomed emotions.

What struck him as marvelous was that the woman, whose face he had
last seen as a writhen mask of fear, should appear in the light of
his room with her calm restored, with nothing but some disorder of
her hair and dress to betoken he