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There was a short, raucous guffaw from The Mope. Stangeist turned a drawn face toward the man, stared at him, and stared in a miserable way at the other two in turn. He licked his lips again none was in a better position than himself to know that there would be neither scruples nor hesitancy to interfere with carrying out the threat.
Australian Ike's elbow just grazed the portieres, and Jimmie Dale flattened himself against the window, holding his breath a smile on his lips that was mirthless, deadly, cold. The end was not far off now; and then WHAT? Stangeist had the outer door of the safe open now and now the inner door swung back.
That's why we fixed it fer to-night after the divvy that you've just tried ter do us on again, 'cause we knew you had it here." "I tell you, it's not here," said Stangeist evenly. "You lie!" said Clarie Deane again. "It's in that safe.
"And you remember Stangeist, and the Mope, and Australian Ike, don't you, Laroque you remember they went to the death house in Sing Sing and you remember that the Gray Seal sent them there? Yes, I see you do; I see your memory is good to-night! Listen, then!
"Not so very!" Stangeist, finished with the packages, picked up the loose bills, and, with a short laugh, tossed them into the bag and followed them with the rolls of silver. He pushed the bag toward Clarie Deane. "That's a little extra for you," he said.
None was better aware than Stangeist that threats from men of their calibre were likely to result in a grim aftermath and Stangeist, yesterday, the Tocsin said, had answered them as no other man than Stangeist would either have thought of or have dared to do.
The pigeonholes were crammed with papers, as, presumably, too, were the drawers. Jimmie Dale sucked in his breath. He had already been there well over half an hour every minute now, every second was counting against him, and to search that mass of papers before Stangeist returned was "Ah!" it came in a fierce little ejaculation from Jimmie Dale.
Stangeist's house was "dark" that evening, she had said, meaning that the occupants, Stangeist as well as whatever servants there might be, for Stangeist had no family, were out the servants in town for a theatre or picture show probably and Stangeist himself as yet not back, presumably from that Roessle affair.
He straightened up, stepped back, the portieres closed behind him and the chuckle died on Jimmie Dale's lips. He was trapped caught without so much as a corner in which to turn! Stangeist was even then coming into the room and OUTSIDE, darkly outlined, two forms stood just beneath the window. Instinctively, quick as a flash, Jimmie Dale crouched below the sill. Who were they? What did it mean?
Stangeist was a power in the Bad Lands. There were few among that unholy community that Stangeist, at one time or another, in one way or another, had not rescued from the clutches of the law, resorting to any trick or cunning, but with perjury, that he could handle like the master of it that he was, employed as the most common weapon of defence for his clients provided he were paid well enough for it.
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