ugh at the
recollection of the atrocity. And he was actually terrified at the sight
of a few irregularly-shaped fragments of phosphate of lime and gelatine.
I repeat, it was amazing.

"Piragoff recovered only to develop the ferocity of a frightened
ruffian.

"'Where is the stuff, fool?' he demanded. 'Show it to me quickly or I
will cut your throat. Quick! Let us get it and go.'

"I watched him warily. These neurotic Slav criminals, when they get into
a state of panic, are like frightened cats; very dangerous to be near.
And the more frightened, the more dangerous. I must keep an eye on
Piragoff.

"'I can open one of the cabinets,' I said.

"'Then open it, pig! Open it quickly! I want to get away from this
place!'

"He grinned at me like an angry monkey, and I led him to the secret
cupboard. As I very deliberately turned the hidden catches and prepared
to take out the panel, I considered whether it was not time to set the
apparatus going. For I had prepared a little surprise for Piragoff and I
was now rather doubtful how he would take it. Besides, I was not
enjoying the proceedings as much as I had expected to. Piragoff's lack
of nerve was disconcerting.

"However, I took out the panel and stood by to watch the result.
Piragoff peered into the cupboard and uttered a growl of disappointment.

"'There is nothing there but books and those boxes. Lift the boxes down,
pig, and let us see what is in them.'

"I lifted the boxes from the shelf.

"'They are very light,' I said. 'And here are two pistols on top of
them.'

"These pistols were the surprise that I had prepared in a spirit of
mischief. I had taken them from the pockets of the last two specimens
and kept them for the sake of the devices that those two imbeciles had
scratched on the butts.

"'Pistols!' exclaimed Piragoff. 'Let me look at them.' He snatched the
weapons from the top of the box and took them over to the lamp.
Immediately I heard a gasp of astonishment.

"'God! But this is a strange thing! Here is Louis Plotcovitch's pistol!
And this other belonged to Boris Slobodinsky! They have been here too!'

"He stared at me open-mouthed, holding the pistols--which I had
carefully unloaded--one in each trembling hand. What little nerve he had
had was going fast.

"I laid the boxes on a small table and switched on the lamp that hung
close over it. High up above the table was one of the cross-beams of the
roof. From the beam there hung down two purch