we don't want to hurt your feelings."

"All right!" Nora mocked. "And I tell you there's a cop here. And you
know as well as I he's the only one. You're crazy, Slim."

"Good thing one of us is then," the leader sneered. "If this isn't
Simmons we're out of the running for to-night anyway. If it is, what do
we gain by making a show of him? That's what I was going to propose.
Only one of us need look."

"That'll do," Nora agreed. "Well! Who?"

"George here was anxious."

"Look yourself," George answered. "I'm no dime museum fiend."

Suddenly Garth arose.

"Maybe the lady--" he croaked. "She's so set on it. A pleasant sight for
ladies."

Nora flushed angrily.

"I'll call that bluff."

She waved the others back towards the end of the room.

"And be quick about it," she said to Garth.

Garth caught the expressions of the others. He noticed their ready
hands. While his fingers rose to the fastenings of the gray mask he
turned slowly and faced Nora.

For a moment he hesitated. Even after all he had seen he shrank from
forcing on the girl the responsibility of tossing him to those waiting
hands. He was tempted to spare her that, to confess himself to the
others. But the stamping of her foot, the tone of her voice, impatient,
commanding, decided him.

"Hurry, I say! There's no way out."

So, holding her with his eyes, he slipped the gray mask aside.

He saw her stare while the angry color left her cheeks. But at first her
expression did not alter. It seemed to him a long time before terror
twisted her face, before she screamed. He watched her cower back,
crossing her arms over her eyes; watched her fall against the wall,
where she bent, trembling.

Garth replaced the mask, shrugging his shoulders, and turned to the
others. The leader laughed lightly, with satisfaction.

"Never dreamed it was as bad as that, Simmons. You're right. Don't blame
you, but you must see we had to be sure."

Garth nodded. He sat down. Let the girl speak. Until then he would play
his part.

"Looks as if the stool lost a leg somewhere," he said.

He studied Nora. Her face hidden, she remained shrinking against the
wall. Still she did not speak.

George stepped to her side and put his arm around her.

"Forget it, little girl. Wish I'd looked for you."

She shook his arm off and pushed him away.

"Forget it yourself, George," the leader warned. "You ought to have
learned that won't go with Nora."

"She knows I'm no butterfl