at him impassively for a moment. He had neglected to state
that he had also told Gypsy Nan he desired to enter into a partnership
with her--in crime.

"It is very kind of you," she said sweetly. "I presume, then, that you
have some suggestion to make?"

"Only what any--may I say it?--gentleman would suggest under the
circumstances. It is far too dangerous a thing for a woman to attempt;
it would be much less dangerous for me. I realize that you are in
earnest now, and I will agree to carry out your plan in every detail
once I am satisfied that you are safely away."

"The idea being," she observed monotonously, "that, being safely away,
and the necklace being left safely on the floor, you are left safely in
possession of--the necklace. Well, my answer is--no!"

His face hardened a little.

"I'm sorry, then," he said. "For in that case, in so far as your project
is concerned, I, too, must say--no!"

It was an impasse. She studied his face, the strong jaw set a little
now, the lips molded in sterner lines, and for all her outward show of
composure, she knew a sick dismay. And for a moment she neither moved
nor spoke. What he would do next, she did not know; but she knew
quite well that he had not the slightest intention of leaving her here
undisturbed to carry out her plan, unless--unless, somehow, she could
outwit him. She bit her lips again. And then inspiration came. She
turned, and with a sudden leap gained the wall, and the next instant,
holding him back with her revolver as she reached up with her left hand,
she caught at the great metal shield with its encircling cluster of
small arms, and wrenched it from its fastenings. It crashed to the floor
with a din infernal that, in the night silence, went racketing through
the house like the reverberations of an explosion.

"My God, what have you done!" he cried out hoarsely.

"What I said I'd do!" she answered. She was white-faced, frightened at
her own act, fighting to maintain her nerve. "You'll go now, I imagine!"
she flung at him passionately. "You haven't much time."

"No!" he said. His composure was instantly at command again. "No,"
he repeated steadily; "not until after you have gone. I
refuse--positively--to let you run any such risk as that. It is far too
dangerous."

"Yes, you will!" she burst out wildly. "You will! You must! You shall!
I--I--" The house itself seemed suddenly to have awakened. From above
doors opened and closed. Indistinctly there ca