you talk yourself to death. That
explosion must have hurt your voice something fierce."

Again Garth tried to approximate the croaking tone he had heard at the
bridge.

"Talk's as cheap and easy as cracking safes."

He risked it for its effect on the others. Moreover it was an antidote
for his nervous strain to give that much rein to the antagonism he
already experienced for the huge, dark fellow.

Secretive laughter greeted his daring. A gesture from the leader halted
George's movement, almost instinctive, to resent the affront physically.
Then three faint and regular splashes came from the water.

They all held their poses of the moment statuesquely until, at a nod
from the leader, the intellectual-looking youth arose and moved towards
the door.

During that moment of waiting Garth tried to fashion what he knew into a
recognizable pattern, but the pieces were incomplete. He could only
wonder why they had sent to Chicago for an anarchistic chemist to
connive with this expert at a task as simple as cracking a safe.

The youth turned the lock and opened the door a little. It was pushed
boisterously against him, and, beyond his amazed back, Garth had a
glimpse of a gaudily colored skirt. The others had risen. The leader,
grasping the youth's elbow, shoved him to one side, and Garth, his view
unobstructed now, gazed incredulously at Nora's blazing, painted face.

His first impulse was to cry out and warn the girl back from this ambush
into which she had unaccountably strayed. He gripped the edge of the
table. He half arose. For a moment the room went black. All at once he
realized that her presence at this unique rendezvous must be without
the slightest ambiguity. Perhaps it was an ill-advised attempt to
rescue him from the net. He waited tensely for some word. His heart
sank. She couldn't recognize him behind the mask.

He wouldn't lie to himself any longer. Nora, whom he had always seen in
black, wore a flashy dress. She had given the conspirators their own
signal. She received from them a welcome of anxiety.

The room darkened again. He sat in a frozen silence. He saw and heard as
from a vast distance.

"Whole force at your heels, Nora?" the leader asked gently.

Closing the door, she faced them breathlessly. Her eyes flashed, but
fear lurked there, too.

"No," she said, "but it might be tramping on the dock without your
guessing it. Listen, Slim."

She raised her clenched fists.

"There's a bull here