than its
wont.

"I mean," Garson repeated, and there was finality in his accents, a
deadly quality that was appalling, "I mean, cut it out--now, here, and
all the time! It don't go!" The voice rose slightly. The effect of it
was more penetrant than a scream. "It don't go!... Do you get me?"

There was a short interval of silence, then the officer's eyes at last
fell. It was Aggie who relieved the tension of the scene.

"He's got you," she remarked, airily. "Oi, oi! He's got you!"

There were again a few seconds of pause, and then Cassidy made an
observation that revealed in some measure the shock of the experience he
had just undergone.

"You would have been a big man, Joe, if it hadn't been for that temper
of yours. It's got you into trouble once or twice already. Some time
it's likely to prove your finish."

Garson relaxed his immobility, and a little color crept into his cheeks.

"That's my business," he responded, dully.

"Anyway," the officer went on, with a new confidence, now that his eyes
were free from the gaze that had burned into his soul, "you've got to
clear out, the whole gang of you--and do it quick."

Aggie, who as a matter of fact began to feel that she was not receiving
her due share of attention, now interposed, moving forward till her face
was close to the detective's.

"We don't scare worth a cent," she snapped, with the virulence of a
vixen. "You can't do anything to us. We ain't broke the law." There came
a sudden ripple of laughter, and the charming lips curved joyously, as
she added: "Though perhaps we have bent it a bit."

Cassidy sneered, outraged by such impudence on the part of an
ex-convict.

"Don't make no difference what you've done," he growled. "Gee!" he went
on, with a heavy sneer. "But things are coming to a pretty pass when a
gang of crooks gets to arguing about their rights. That's funny, that
is!"

"Then laugh!" Aggie exclaimed, insolently, and made a face at the
officer. "Ha, ha, ha!"

"Well, you've got the tip," Cassidy returned, somewhat disconcerted,
after a stolid fashion of his own. "It's up to you to take it, that's
all. If you don't, one of you will make a long visit with some people
out of town, and it'll probably be Mary. Remember, I'm giving it to you
straight."

Aggie assumed her formal society manner, exaggerated to the point of
extravagance.

"Do come again, little one," she chirruped, caressingly. "I've enjoyed
your visit so much!"

But Cassi