t it must have been
real, he saw stealthy fingers feeling their way about the blanket.

Then Allan fired.

In an instant he was wide awake, and wondering terribly what had
happened. The explosion blew out the lantern, and the building was in
utter darkness. His father was clambering to his feet with "Allan,
what is it? What is it, Allan?" The blanket had been torn from its
hangings as by a heavy weight, and something was writhing in it in
the doorway. Allan sprang up and would have rushed upon it, but in
the darkness he collided with another man. His fingers found his
adversary's arm and ran up it to his throat, but before they could
fasten in a fatal grip there was another flash of light, and a hot
pang stabbed him in the breast. There was a strange gurgling in his
lungs, a choking in his throat, a spinning dizziness in his head, as
he staggered over the mass in the doorway and fell into the night.

Gardiner had reached the window just in time to see Allan's gun
trained on the doorway. For an instant he stood dumfounded; there was
something uncanny in the sight of the young man sitting there in
silent, absolute readiness for the attack. He drew back to warn
Riles, but he was too late. At that moment the gun spoke; there was
the sound of a heavy body falling, and stifled noises bore ample
evidence of the accuracy of Allan's aim. But even in that moment of
uncertainty Gardiner had not lost thought of their purpose, and his
quick eye took in the sleeping form of John Harris and the location
of the leather bag beside the wall. Without an instant's hesitation
he vaulted through the window and, revolver in hand, began to steal
his way softly toward the treasure.

He had not taken three steps when Allan plunged full force into him.
He staggered with the shock, but recovered himself only to find the
young farmer's strong fingers clutching for his throat. It had been
no part of Gardiner's plan that there should be bloodshed in the
carrying out of the robbery, but he was a man of quick decision, who
accepted conditions as he found them... A slight pressure on the
trigger, and Allan fell, coughing, through the door.

Gardiner retained his sense of location, and slipped silently to the
wall. Harris was rushing about the rotten floor in the darkness,
crying, "What is it, Allan? For God's sake, what has happened? Are
you shot?" and for his own noise he could not hear Gardiner's
stealthy movements. Gardiner's hand fell on a log