in', you can have
it--if youse is willin' to pay more fer it than the other guy!"

He looked greedily at Charlie, and, though the lawyer understood
thoroughly that the man was only trying to add to the money that Holmes
had promised him, and would probably not give up the paper, no matter
how much was offered, he jumped at the chance to gain time. Bessie had
disappeared, and he was sure that she had gone for help. If he could
hold the robber for a few minutes he might beat him yet.

To talk with the gag in his mouth was, of course, impossible, and he
managed to lift his bound hands toward his mouth to remind the robber
of this.

"Say, that's right," said the thief. "Here, I'll ease youse a bit so
youse can talk. But no tricks, mind!"

"How much do you want?" gasped Charlie, when he was able to speak. The
man stood over him, ready to silence any attempt to cry out, and he
knew that it would be useless to call.

"How much you got? I don't mean in your clothes, but what youse has
got salted away in your room," asked the thief. "I ain't got time to
look for it or I'd leave you tied up," he added, with a leer.

"You've got something to sell, so name your price," said Charlie, still
trying to kill time. "That's for you to do. What does the other side
offer you?"

"Gimme two hundred bucks!" suggested the robber.

"That's a lot of money," said Charlie, pretending to hesitate. "I
might give it to you, but I haven't got it here. I could get it for
you or give you a check----"

"Cash--and cash down!" leered the robber. "An' say, if youse thinks
some of them dames youse is workin' with can help youse out of this
hole, guess again. They're all locked up, same as you--from the
outside. And there ain't no telephones in the rooms in this hotel."

For a moment Charlie's heart sank. If this was true, even though she
realized his danger, Bessie could not help him. He did not know what
to do, or what to say. But, fortunately for him, he was spared from
deciding. For there was a sudden crash at the door, and in a moment it
gave way before the onslaught of the proprietor, two or three clerks,
and a couple of stout porters. In a second the robber was overpowered
and a prisoner, and then Charlie saw Bessie, her eyes alight with
eagerness, in the background.

"I climbed down the waterspout!" she cried. "I knew I had to get them
to help you!"

CHAPTER VII

BACK AT LONG LAKE

"Why, Bessie's a regular b