lls. A
movement and my men will make a sieve of you. Others before you have
sat in that chair, and I am used to take precautions. Quick. Both hands
on the table.'

There was no mistake about Blenkiron's defeat. He was done and out, and
I was left with the only card. He leaned wearily on his arms with the
palms of his hands spread out.

'I reckon you've gotten a strong hand, Graf,' he said, and his voice
was flat with despair.

'I hold a royal flush,' was the answer.

And then suddenly came a change. Blenkiron raised his head, and his
sleepy, ruminating eyes looked straight at Ivery.

'I call you,' he said.

I didn't believe my ears. Nor did Ivery.

'The hour for bluff is past,' he said.

'Nevertheless I call you.'

At that moment I felt someone squeeze through the door behind me and
take his place at my side. The light was so dim that I saw only a
short, square figure, but a familiar voice whispered in my ear. 'It's
me--Andra Amos. Man, this is a great ploy. I'm here to see the end o't.'

No prisoner waiting on the finding of the jury, no commander expecting
news of a great battle, ever hung in more desperate suspense than I did
during the next seconds. I had forgotten my fatigue; my back no longer
needed support. I kept my eyes glued to the crack in the screen and my
ears drank in greedily every syllable.

Blenkiron was now sitting bolt upright with his chin in his hands.
There was no shadow of melancholy in his lean face.

'I say I call you, Herr Graf von Schwabing. I'm going to put you wise
about some little things. You don't carry arms, so I needn't warn you
against monkeying with a gun. You're right in saying that there are
three places in these walls from which you can shoot. Well, for your
information I may tell you that there's guns in all three, but they're
covering _you_ at this moment. So you'd better be good.'

Ivery sprang to attention like a ramrod. 'Karl,' he cried. 'Gustav!'

As if by magic figures stood on either side of him, like warders by a
criminal. They were not the sleek German footmen whom I had seen at the
Chalet. One I did not recognize. The other was my servant, Geordie
Hamilton.

He gave them one glance, looked round like a hunted animal, and then
steadied himself. The man had his own kind of courage.

'I've gotten something to say to you,' Blenkiron drawled. 'It's been a
tough fight, but I reckon the hot end of the poker is with you. I
compliment you on Clarence Donne. Y