til
that saving moment! There lay Nora's best chance, but her ignorance of
such a possibility couldn't account for the horror in her customarily
expressionless face.

"It's no use," she screamed. "Get back, Jim! Quick! Through the door!"

Slim was so close that Garth could see the automatic held at his hip.

"You'll stick here, Garth," came the smooth tones. "And you might's well
drop your gun."

Garth saw George's hands tighten on Nora's arm. He understood then the
real threat by which they would control him.

"Hands off the girl!" he said.

But George smiled, and pressed tighter until Nora cried out
involuntarily.

"That means, drop your gun. For any little damage you do here Nora'll
foot the bill."

She shook her head, but her face recorded an insufferable pain. Garth
knew that the one shot for which he would have time would spare her
nothing.

"I never expected to see the pride of your gang slinking behind a
woman's skirts," he sneered. "I suppose those are four of the rats who
helped put your breakaway over. Six against one, and a woman for a
shield!"

It chilled him that the four strangers exposed their faces to his glance
with a contemptuous indifference. He laughed, however, as Slim took his
revolver.

"You giants must know that you haven't the chance of a pretzel at a
Dutch wedding."

Slim affected not to have heard, but his gestures lacked smoothness.

"Let's see how you enjoy your own jewelry, Garth."

And he reached in Garth's pocket and drew out the pair of handcuffs he
had been certain to find there. He snapped them on the detective's
wrists. The four confederates lounged forward, produced stout cords, and
bound them about Garth's ankles. His momentary resistance was smothered
by Nora's sharp cry:

"Don't fight, Jim!"

His sense of utter helplessness increased, while the men, in obedience
to Slim's gestures, stretched him on the floor. The surface was wet, as
if the ooze of the river had penetrated this far. Slim stooped and
glared at him, his eyes exposing a measureless resentment.

"Thanks for walking into our parlor, you fly cop. We heard how you and
the skirt had fallen for each other. We guessed if we gave you a lead
with some of her trinklets, you'd play the busy sleuth hound."

Nora's voice held the quality of a sob.

"Jim! Why did you come?"

He shrugged his shoulders. He forced on himself a semblance of
confidence.

"Planted or not, the trail was my best chance."

S