RTY MEN WHO WERE ALL ALIKE"

The room was so inconveniently crowded that dancing was a mere farce,
only kept up by the loyal support of Mrs. Rohscheimer's compatriots. The
bulk of the company crowded around in intermingling groups, to the
accompaniment of ceaseless shuffling and murmuring which all but drowned
the strains of the celebrated orchestra. But lining the wall around was
a rank of immaculately groomed gentlemen who seemed to assume a closer
formation as Haredale, from behind the palms, observed them.

In two particulars this rank excited his curiosity.

The individuals comprising it were, as Rohscheimer had pointed out,
remarkably alike, being all of a conventional Army type; and they were
unobtrusively entering, one behind the other, and methodically taking up
their places around the room!

Even as he watched, the last man entered, and the big double doors were
closed behind him!

"What's this, Haredale?" came a hoarse whisper from Rohscheimer. "Where
are these Johnnies comin' from? Does Mrs. R. know they're here?"

"Couldn't say," was the reply. "But it would be a simple matter for a
number of impostors to gain access to the house whilst dancing was in
progress, provided they came in small parties and looked the part."

"Impostors!" growled Rohscheimer uneasily. "Don't you think they've been
invited, then?"

"Well, who shut those doors?" muttered Haredale, leaning across the
little table the better to observe what was going forward.

"You don't mean----" began Rohscheimer, and broke off, as the orchestra
dashed through the coda of the waltz and ceased.

For stark amazement froze the words upon his tongue.

Coincident with the last pair of dancers performing their final gyration
and the hum of voices assuming a louder tone, each of the men standing
around the walls produced a brace of revolvers and covered the
particular group nearest to him!

The conversational hum rose to a momentary roar, and ceased abruptly.
The horns of taxi-cabs passing below could be plainly heard, and the
drone and rattle of motor-buses. Men who had done good work in other
emergencies looked down the gleaming barrels, back to the crowds of
women--and had no inspiration, but merely wondered. Nobody moved. Nobody
fainted.

"Held up!" came, in pronounced Kansas, from somewhere amongst the crush.

"Quick!" whispered Haredale. "We're overlooked! Through the
conservatory, and----"

"Pardon me!"

Rohscheimer and Haredal