with some
disfavor because of his pomposity.

The newcomer walked across the room and sat down. As he did so his eyes
fell upon Hal and Chester, slouched back in their chairs. Immediately he
was on his feet.

"Who are these?" he demanded of Georges. "Their faces are
unfamiliar to me."

"Friends of Jean Garnier," replied Georges briefly.

Jean was immediately on his feet and approached the questioner.

"Yes, they are friends of mine," he said, "and, as true Apaches, they
love gold better than anything else. What have you to say about it?" and
his hand slipped to his belt.

It was plain to Hal and Chester that the man was not frightened by this
show of hostility, for he smiled slightly and shrugged his shoulders.

"Oh, nothing at all," he said. "What are one or two Apaches more or less?
You are all of the same breed."

He turned his back on Jean and sat down. Producing a monogramed cigarette
case he opened it, extracted a cigarette, and lighted up. He paid no
further heed to those about him.

Hal and Chester, out of the tail of their eyes, surveyed him critically.
The man had now removed his overcoat and the lads saw that his clothes
were neatly pressed and of good texture. A diamond glistened in his tie.
Plainly he was no Apache.

Georges, in the meantime, had been busy. He aroused several of the
apparently sleeping men, spoke a few words to them, and the latter
hurried away. Some minutes later they returned, and after them came
others. These drifted in gradually now and slunk into chairs. When the
supply of chairs had been exhausted newcomers sat on the floor.

Soon the room was full to overflowing.

The man who had accosted Hal and Chester now threw away his cigarette and
once more approached the lads. Jean, perceiving this, also left his chair
and came forward.

The man whom Hal and Chester surmised was some sort of a lieutenant of
the Apache chief, addressed them.

"Do you know what we are here for?" he asked.

"No," said Hal.

Chester also shook his head.

"Well, I'll tell you," said the man. "We are here to make money. The
President is sought by the Germans, and we are to see that he is
delivered safely into their hands. For this each man is to receive a
handful of German gold. Now, it makes little difference whether you are
with us or not. If you are with us, all right--we can use a few more men.
If not, you will never leave here alive."

Before either Hal or Chester could reply Jean steppe