His voice was very unsteady. Bristol nodded grimly and glanced at
the two constables, who, with a plain-clothes man unknown to me,
made up that midnight company.

"I'll do it, sir," said one of the constables suddenly.

"One moment"--Mostyn raised his hand!

In the ensuing silence I could hear the heavy breathing of those
around me. We were all looking at the slipper, I think.

"Do you understand, fully," the curator continued, "the risk you
run?"

"I think so, sir," answered the constable; "but I'm prepared to
chance it."

"The hands," resumed Mostyn slowly, "of those who hitherto have
ventured to touch it have been"--he hesitated--"cut off."

"Your career in the Force would be finished if it happened to you,
my lad," said Bristol shortly.

"I suppose they'd look after me," said the man, with grim humour.

"They would if you met with--an accident, in the discharge of your
duty," replied the inspector; "but I haven't ordered you to do it,
and I'm not going to."

"All right, sir," said the man, with a sort of studied truculence,