ominent personages might have been seriously
hampered in their headlong fling.

That gong kept blaring its clang of warning long enough to frighten
off the dog and restore Whitney Barnes to freedom, and once released
from the bruising grip of that distraught little woman he turned his
back upon Zaza's fate and ran--he ran so long as he considered it
feasible to maintain the integrity of his trousers. That is, he ran
not quite a block, then dropped back to his heel and toe exercise and
swiftly ate up the distance that separated him from Travers Gladwin's
home.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

PHELAN LOSES HIS BRIBE.

It was merely a coincidence that Bateato should drag Helen back into
the room just as Gladwin had gone on record with the declaration,
"There are no women here," but it was a sufficiently dramatic
coincidence to jar from Officer No. 666 the exclamation:

"Where the divil are they all springin' from?"

Bateato had come up with Helen as she was descending the stoop, had
seized her by the wrist and almost swung her off her feet as he swept
her back into the house and rounded her up before the three men, dumb
with fright and barely able to stand. Still gripping her wrist,
Bateato let go the Maxim volley:

"You tief! She try get away, but Bateato catch fast--she tief--I see
steal all pictures--she"----

"Bateato, you idiot!" his master hurled at him with a menacing gesture
that caused the little Jap to drop the girl's hand and jump back.

"Didn't I tell you to stay at the hotel?" continued Gladwin, fiercely,
for the moment ignoring both Phelan and the thief.

"Yes, but I 'fraid--much late you no come. Bateato come back see girl
steal all pictures!"

The little Jap had fallen into Phelan's state of blind bewilderment.

"Shut up!" his master snapped him up, walking up to him with an
eat-'em-alive expression. "And now listen--I don't want you to say
anything more, understand? Not a word to anybody about anything. Not a
syllable!"

"I no spick," bleated the Jap.

"See that you don't--not a single word--if you do I'll skin you!"

Never in the three years he had served the young man had Bateato seen
him in anything like this savage state of mind.

"I spick no more for noting not nobody quick!" he promised, and his
hand clasped over his mouth like a vise.

Having corked Bateato in this wise, Gladwin turned to Helen, who stood
as if rooted to the floor, staring straight ahead of her.

"Don't be frightened