ng back to give the
shooters room, when he heard behind him the door open and shut.

He turned. Before the door stood a small consumptive-looking man in a
light check suit. The tenderfoot carried two short-barrelled Colt's
revolvers, one of which he presented directly at Black Hank.

"'Nds up!" he commanded, sharply.

Hank was directly covered, so he obeyed. The new-comer's eye had a
strangely restless quality. Of the other dozen inmates of the room,
eleven were firmly convinced that the weapon and eye not directly
levelled at their leader were personally concerned with themselves. The
twelfth thought he saw his chance. To the bewildered onlookers there
seemed to be a flash and a bang, instantaneous; then things were as
before. One of the stranger's weapons still pointed at Black Hank's
breast; the other at each of the rest. Only the twelfth man, he who had
seen his chance, had collapsed forward to the floor. No one could assure
himself positively that he had discerned the slightest motion on the
part of the stranger.

"Now," said the latter, sharply, "one at a time, gentlemen. Drop yore
gun," this last to Black Hank, "muzzle down. Drop it! Correct!"

One of the men in the back of the room stirred slightly on the ball of
his foot.

"Steady, there!" warned the stranger. The man stiffened.

"Next gent," went on the little man, subtly indicating another. The
latter obeyed without hesitation. "Next. Now you. Now you in th'
corner."

One after another the pistols clattered to the floor. Not for an instant
could a single inmate of the apartment, armed or unarmed, flatter
himself that his slightest motion was unobserved. They were like tigers
on the crouch, ready to spring the moment the man's guard lowered. It
did not lower. The huddled figure on the floor reminded them of what
might happen. They obeyed.

"Step back," commanded the stranger next. In a moment he had them
standing in a row against the wall, rigid, upright, their hands over
their heads. Then for the first time the stranger moved from his
position by the door.

"Call her," he said to Billy, "th' girl."

Billy raised his voice. "Nell! Oh, Nell!"

In a moment she appeared in the doorway at the foot of the stairs,
without hesitation or fear. When she perceived the state of affairs, she
brightened almost mischievously.

"Would you jest as soon, ma'am, if it ain't troubling you too much, jest
nat'rally sort of untie Billy?" requested the stranger.