l," shouted Boris, but the man still held his hand and
hesitated so long that Baxter had gripped the barrel of his revolver
in his left hand before the fellow quite realized what was happening.

If the man had scruples, Boris had none. His revolver spoke quickly,
and Baxter, with a little cough, fell forward on his face.

Turning from his butcher's work, Boris whipped round to meet the
terror-stricken eyes of Mademoiselle Vseslavitch.

"It is not my fault," he said, "that you have been compelled to look
on this."

Then his voice rang out clear and hard.

"Gentlemen," he cried, "I have no desire to create further
disturbance. If you will listen to me all will be well."

Turning for a second to Peter, he said, "Get back to the corner of the
room."

Peter had no other course but to obey.

Boris next proceeded to deal with the others.

"All of you," he said in a tone of easy command, "all of you get back
into the corner, except Mademoiselle."

He watched the retreat through his mask, and when all had crowded
together at the end of the room he gave them further orders.

"Let no man move," said he, "if he desires to see another day-break.
And if one of you stirs for a quarter of an hour after we leave this
room, he will be shot down from yonder window like a dog."

"Now, Mademoiselle," he cried, almost gaily, "take the arm of my
fascinating friend here. He will escort you out."

Natalie did not move. Instead she faced him with flaming eyes, the
very picture of defiance, and stood there, looking scornfully at Boris
and his men.

"Very well," he said. And he motioned to a tall figure a few paces
distant. Then a huge red hand seized Natalie roughly by the arm and
dragged her to the door.

Peter and his cousin, and the others in the corner hesitated, looking
one to another; then Alexis, more bold than the rest, jumped forward,
crying, "Never, you dirty scoundrel!" And dashed across the floor.

Boris let him come on, and it said something for the coolness of the
man that he did not even fire, but waited till the lad was upon him.
Then he swung round, and catching him back of the ear with the butt of
his pistol, sent him sprawling senseless to the floor.

After that there was no demonstration of any kind. It was obvious that
Boris and his scoundrels had provided against every contingency and
had counted on complete success.

They backed toward the door, through which Michael, the pseudo-cousin,
had dragged hi