awer and took out two black shining objects; the short
barrels and blocky shapes told Pendleton that they were automatic
revolvers.

"They will throw ten slugs as thick as your little finger while you're
winking your eye as many times," said Ashton-Kirk.

They each slipped one of the squat, formidable weapons into a hip
pocket; then they made their way out at the rear of the house. With
the collars of their sack coats turned up and their long visored cloth
caps pulled down, they hurried along among the dull-eyed throngs that
bartered and quarreled and sought their own advantage.

And when, in the uncertain dusk, a wagon drew up at 478 and two
sack-coated, cloth-capped men began carrying parcels up the stairs, is
it any wonder that Berg, watching from the window of his delicatessen
store, said to his clerk:

"Dot furrier that rents der rooms by der third floor is putting some
more things in storage over the summer, yet."

And when the wagon finally drove away, neglectfully leaving the two
men behind, it is not surprising that the fancy grocer did not notice
it. And, then, when the two policemen who had been on duty during the
afternoon, came out, carelessly left the door unlocked, looked up to
make sure that they had left none of the windows open, and then strode
away with a satisfied air that follows a duty well done, who so keenly
watched as to suspect?

The shadows on the second floor lengthened and grew grayer; they
thickened in the corners; pieces of furniture grew vague and monstrous
as the darkness began to cling to them and their outlines became lost;
suits of armor loomed menacingly out of the gloom, the last rays of
light striking palely upon helm or gorget; hideous gods of wood and
stone smiled evilly at the two watchers.

"There was food in the bundles which we carried up, then," commented
Pendleton, as he lay back on the old claw-footed sofa.

"Yes," answered his friend. "The person or persons whom we expect will
hardly come to-night, though we, of course, don't know; if they fail
to appear we shall be forced to stick close to these rooms during the
whole of to-morrow and also to-morrow night. Perhaps it will even be
longer."

"In that case," said Pendleton, a little disconsolately, "the eatables
will be very welcome. But I hope we won't have to stay long enough to
finish them."

"Perhaps," said Ashton-Kirk, "I've let you in for too hard a task in
this, Pen?"

The other rose up instantly.

"