s one will not fail. I have taken pains that it shall not,
and I have other cards which I have not shown you. Sit down and listen
to me, and you shall judge for yourself."

With a muttered oath, Wickersham walked back to his seat; but before he
did so, he slipped quietly into his pocket a pistol which he took from
his overcoat.

Quickly as the act was done, Keith saw it.

"Don't you think you had better put your pistol back?" he said quietly.
"An officer is waiting just outside that door, a man that can neither be
bullied nor bought. Perhaps, you will agree with me when I tell you
that, though called Dimm, his real name is David Dennison. He has orders
at the least disturbance to place you under arrest. Judge for yourself
what chance you will have."

"What do you wish me to do?" asked Wickersham, sullenly.

"I wish you, first, to execute some papers which will secure to Norman
Wentworth, as far as can possibly be done, the amount of money that you
have gotten from Mrs. Wentworth under the pretence of investing it for
her in mines. Mrs. Wentworth's name will not be mentioned in this
instrument. The money was her husband's, and you knew it, and you knew
it was impairing his estate to furnish it. Secondly, I require that you
shall leave the country to-morrow morning. I have arranged for passage
for you, on a steamer sailing before sunrise."

"Thank you," sneered Wickersham. "Really, you are very kind."

"Thirdly, you will sign a paper which contains only a few of the facts,
but enough, perhaps, to prevent your returning to this country for some
years to come."

Wickersham leant across the table and burst out laughing.

"And you really think I will do that? How old do you think I am? Why did
you not bring me a milk-bottle and a rattle? You do my intellect a great
deal of honor."

For answer Keith tapped twice on a glass with the back of a knife. The
next second the door opened, and Dave Dennison entered, impassive, but
calmly observant, and with a face set like rock.

At sight of him Wickersham's face whitened.

"One moment, Dave," said Keith; "wait outside a moment more."

Dennison bowed and closed the door. The latch clicked, but the knob did
not settle back.

"I will give you one minute in which to decide," said Keith. He drew
from his pocket and threw on the table two papers. "There are the
papers." He took out his watch and waited.

Wickersham picked up the papers mechanically and glanced over them. H