e followed the bang of a falling chair, and a sound of rapid
movement.

Aubrey was down the aisle in a flash, followed by Roger, who had
delayed just long enough to close the door. He tiptoed up the steps at
the back of the shop and looked into the dining room. At the instant
his eyes took in the scene it seemed as though the whole room was in
motion.

The cloth was spread for supper and shone white under the drop lamp.
In the far corner of the room Titania was struggling in the grasp of a
bearded man whom Aubrey instantly recognized as the chef. On the near
side of the table, holding a revolver levelled at the girl, stood
Weintraub. His back was toward the door. Aubrey could see the
druggist's sullen jaw crease and shake with anger.

Two strides took him into the room. He jammed the muzzle of his pistol
against the oily cheek. "Drop it!" he said hoarsely. "You Hun!" With
his left hand he seized the man's shirt collar and drew it tight
against the throat. In his tremor of rage and excitement his arms felt
curiously weak, and his first thought was how impossible it would be to
strangle that swinish neck.

For an instant there was a breathless tableau. The bearded man still
had his hands on Titania's shoulders. She, very pale but with
brilliant eyes, gazed at Aubrey in unbelieving amazement. Weintraub
stood quite motionless with both hands on the dining table, as though
thinking. He felt the cold bruise of metal against the hollow of his
cheek. Slowly he opened his right hand and his revolver fell on the
linen cloth. Then Roger burst into the room.

Titania wrenched herself away from the chef.

"I wouldn't give them the suitcase!" she cried.

Aubrey kept his pistol pinned against Weintraub's face. With his left
hand he picked up the druggist's revolver. Roger was about to seize
the chef, who was standing uncertainly on the other side of the table.

"Here," said Aubrey, "take this gun. Cover this fellow and leave that
one to me. I've got a score to settle with him."

The chef made a movement as though to jump through the window behind
him, but Aubrey flung himself upon him. He hit the man square on the
nose and felt a delicious throb of satisfaction as the rubbery flesh
flattened beneath his knuckles. He seized the man's hairy throat and
sank his fingers into it. The other tried to snatch the bread knife on
the table, but was too late. He fell to the floor, and Aubrey
throttled him savagel