ut it
occurred to him in time that, if it did indeed contain the documents
concerning which Alcatrante and the stranger were disputing, it would be
sought and missed long before he could escape from the room. So, taking a
pencil from his pocket, he inserted it under the corner of the flap and
slowly worked the flap free. The strength of the linen prevented any
tearing.

He removed the contents of the envelope--two folded sheets of parchment
paper, held together by an elastic band--and thrust them into the inside
pocket of his coat. All this was done swiftly and noiselessly.

It now remained to find something to take the place of the abstracted
documents. In his pocket were some printed prospectuses of the mine which
he had come to Chicago to investigate. In shape and thickness they were
not dissimilar to the documents which he had taken. He slipped the
prospectuses into the envelope and, wetting his finger, rubbed it along
the gummed surface of the flap. Enough glue remained to make the flap
adhere, after a little pressure. The job was by no means perfect, but it
was not likely to be detected.

At that moment Alcatrante raised his voice and said, still in French:
"You are sure, then, that this will not only delay the game, but end it."

"Quite sure," said the Japanese. "Unless the documents are signed before
midnight to-night nothing can be done for sometime. We have the Germans
fixed. They will do what they have thus far agreed to do, but if any
technical hitch arises, such as a failure to sign within the time-limit,
they will decline to renew negotiations. That was all we could get from
them, but it is enough--now."

"And for other ships," said Alcatrante, "the commission shall be five
hundred thousand."

"Five hundred thousand. Seven hundred and fifty was too much."

"Five hundred thousand in gold."

"In gold."

Orme slipped the envelope back into the drawer and put his eye to the
hole in the cover. His position was now more and more critical, for to
open the drawer and get the envelope, Arima would have to lift the table
cover.

The stranger turned to Arima. "Give us the envelope," he said.

Arima approached the table. Orme crowded back against the wall as far as
he could, knowing that the chances of escaping discovery were strongly
against him. But he was saved by the very eagerness of the others. They
all crowded about Arima, as he lifted the cover, opened the drawer, and
took out the envelope. So cl