h a sneer. "You stole it
some place. We want a share."

"Oh, you do?" said Ivan, and he broke into a loud laugh. "Well, you won't
get it. First, however, I want to tell you again, that I did not steal
the money and that it is not mine."

"Then why," said another of the crowd, "why did you dip into one of the
bags to pay for a drink at the restaurant?"

"Why?" echoed Ivan in a loud voice. "I'll tell you. Because I was dry."

"But if the gold is not yours?"

For a moment Ivan appeared somewhat flustered. But he made answer
after a moment.

"I am entitled to the price of a glass of wine for carrying this gold for
the king. That's why."

"It's my belief you filled up on wine before you got the gold," said
another voice in the crowd.

"You may have any belief you choose," shouted Ivan angrily. "But now
stand aside. I am going on my way."

"Not until you give us a share of your spoils," said a voice close to
him.

"Ho!" said Ivan. "You think so. Ho! Ho!"

He took a step forward and his merriment subsided.

"Stand aside there!" he commanded sternly.

For a moment it appeared that the crowd would give before him, but a man
in the back of the crowd cried:

"What! will you run from one man, a drunken man at that?"

Another, closer to the giant, reached out a hand and sought to clutch the
bag of gold Ivan held in his left hand.

With a sudden movement and a loud cry, Ivan stretched forth a hand
and seized the man by the throat. Then he lifted him high in the air
and hurled him through space. The man struck the ground with a loud
cry of pain.

At the same instant a second man struck at Ivan with a club.

With a cry of anger, Ivan reached forth and seized the club; then,
whirling it about his head, brought it down on the man's skull. The man
toppled over like a log.

Now Ivan began to laugh in glee.

"Ho! Ho!" he cried. "Come on and take the gold," and he brandished it
aloft in his left hand. "What! Are you afraid of one man? Ho! Ho!"

The crowd gave back as Ivan moved forward.

A man from behind sprang forward and stabbed the giant between the
shoulders with a thin knife.

Ivan whirled about with a terrible cry. Then, raising his recently
acquired club, he dashed in among the crowd and laid about him right
and left. Men went down on all sides and in a moment the others
turned and fled.

One, from a distance, drew a revolver and fired. Whether the bullet came
close to the giant, Hal could not tell, b