by sunlight. At the
farther end near the wall someone was standing watching the house.

I went downstairs carrying the fatal bag, and rejoined the group in
the hall.

"He will have to be got to bed," said Carneta, referring to the
wounded man; "he will probably remain unconscious for a long time."

Accordingly, we took the patient into one of the few furnished
bedrooms, and having put him to bed left him in care of the beautiful
nurse. When we four men met again downstairs, amazement had rendered
the whole scene unreal to me. Soar stood just within the open door,
not knowing whether to go or to remain; but Hilton motioned to
him to stay. Earl Dexter bit off the end of a cigar and stood with
his left elbow resting on the mantelpiece.

His gaunt face looked gaunter than ever, but the daredevil gray eyes
still nursed that humorous light in their depths.

"Mr. Cavanagh," he said, "we're brothers! And if you'll consider
a minute, you'll see that I'm not lying when I say I'm on the
straight, now and for always!"

I made no reply: I could think of none.

"I'm a crook," he resumed, "or I was up to a while ago. There's
a warrant out for me--the first that ever bore my name. I've
sailed near the wind often enough, but it was desperation that got
me into hot water about that!"

He jerked his cigar in the direction of his grip, which lay now on
the rug at his feet.

"I lost a useful right hand," he went on--"and I lost every cent I
had. It was a dead rotten speculation--for I lost my good name!
I mean it! Believe me, I've handled some shady propositions in the
past, but I did it right in the sunlight! Up to the time I went out
for that damned slipper I could have had lunch with any detective
from Broadway to the Strand! I didn't need any false whiskers and
the Ritz was good enough for The Stetson Man. What now? I'm
'wanted!' Enough said."

He tossed the cigar--he had smoked scarce an inch of it--into the
empty grate.

"I'm an Aunt Sally for any man to shy at," he resumed bitterly.
"My place henceforth is in the dark. Right! I've finished; the
book's closed. From the time I quit England--if I can quit--I'm
on the straight! I've promised Carneta, and I mean to keep my
word. See here--"

Dexter turned to me.

"You'll want to know how I escaped from the cursed death-trap at
Hassan's house in Kent? I'll tell you. I was never in it! I
was hiding and waiting my chance. You know what was left to g