ly scrambled to his feet and
wheeled about.

Two men stood between him and the door, which had been closed silently
and swiftly. They were short and stockily built. Orme exclaimed aloud,
for the light that filtered through a window from the street showed two
faces unmistakably oriental.

If this was an ordinary robbery, the daring of the robbers was almost
incredible. They ran the risk that the porter would return--if they had
not already made away with him. Only the most desperate purpose could
explain their action.

"What do you want?" demanded Orme.

"Your pocket-book," replied one of the men--"queek!" He smiled an elusive
smile as he spoke.

"What if I refuse?" said Orme.

"Then we take. Be queek."

A call for help would hardly bring anyone; but Orme gave a loud cry, more
to disconcert his enemies than with any hope of rescue.

At the same instant he rushed toward the door, and struck out at the
nearer Japanese.

The blow did not land. His wrist was caught in a grip like an iron clamp,
and he found himself performing queer gyrations. The Japanese had turned
his back toward Orme and swung the imprisoned arm over his shoulder. A
quick lurch forward, and Orme sailed through the air, coming down heavily
on his side. His arm was still held, and in a few seconds he was on his
back, his assailant astride him and smiling down into his face.

Orme struggled to free himself, and promptly felt a breaking strain on
his imprisoned arm. The knee of the Japanese was under the back of Orme's
elbow. A moderate use of the leverage thus obtained would snap the arm
like a pipe-stem. This Orme realized, as he ceased struggling. The strain
on his arm relaxed slightly, but the grip was maintained.

"Jiu-jitsu," explained the Japanese in a tone that sounded gently
apologetic.

The other robber now stooped and ran his hands over Orme's coat. Finding
the pocket-book, he took it from its inside pocket and went swiftly to a
table. He produced from his own pocket a little electric hand-lamp, by
the light of which he took rapid count of Orme's money.

His eyes glittered; a wide scar on his forehead stood out whitely.
Suddenly he gave a little cry and held up a single bill. He jabbered
excitedly to his companion for a moment, then spoke quietly to Orme.

"This all we want," he said. "We are not thief, see--I put other
five-dollar bill in its place and leave pocket-book here."

He thrust the selected bill into his pocket, put th