d
packet.

He did not start when Smith's sharp warning struck his ear: "Don't move!
I've got you over my rifle, Quintana!"

Quintana's fingers instantly ceased operations. Then, warily, he lifted
his head and looked into the muzzle of Smith's rifle.

"Ah, bah!" he said tranquilly. "There were three of you, then."

"Lay that packet on the ground."

"My frien'----"

"Drop it or I'll drop _you!_"

Quintana carefully placed the packet on a bed of vivid moss.

"Now your gun!" continued Smith.

Quintana shrugged and laid Leverett's rifle beside the packet.

"Kneel down with your hands up and your back toward me!" said Smith.

"My frien'----"

"Down with you!"

Quintana dropped gracefully into the humiliating attitude popularly
indicative of prayerful supplication. Smith walked slowly up behind
him, relieved him of two automatics and a dirk.

"Stay put," he said sharply, as Quintana started to turn his head. Then
he picked up the packet with its loosened string, slipped it into his
side pocket, gathered together the arsenal which had decorated Quintana,
and so, loaded with weapons, walked away a few paces and seated himself
on a fallen log.

Here he pocketed both automatics, shoved the sheathed dirk into his
belt, placed the captured rifle handy, after examining the magazine, and
laid his own weapon across his knees.

"You may turn around now, Quintana," he said amiably.

Quintana lowered his arms and started to rise.

"Sit down!" said Smith.

Quintana seated himself on the moss, facing Smith.

"Now, my gay and nimble thimble-rigger," sad Smith genially, "while I
take ten minutes' rest we'll have a little polite conversation. Or,
rather, a monologue. Because I don't want to hear anything from you."

He settled himself comfortably on the log:

"Let me assemble for you, Senor Quintana, the interesting history of the
jewels which so sparklingly repose in the packet in my pocket.

"In the first place, as you know, Monsieur Quintana, the famous Flaming
Jewel and the other gems contained in this packet of mine, belonged to
Her Highness the Grand Duchess Theodorica of Esthonia.

"Very interesting. More interesting still -- along comes Don Jose
Quintana and his celebrated gang of international thieves, and steals
from the Grand Duchess of Esthonia the Flaming Jewel and all her rubies,
emeralds and diamonds. Yes?"

"Certainly," said Quintana, with a polite inclination of acknowledgment.

"Bon!