"It ain't the screamin' I object to," said Smilk. "It's the talkin'.
You've done too much talkin' already, ma'am. If you hadn't talked so
much I wouldn't be here tonight."

"Have you a hanky, Cassius?" inquired Mr. Yollop.

"I refuse to have that disgusting wretch's filthy handkerchief
stuffed into my mouth," cried Mrs. Champney, with spirit. Mr. Yollop
chuckled. "Good gracious, Crittenden, what is there to laugh at?"

"I was thinking of your roll of bills, Cassius," said Mr. Yollop.

"Not on your life," said Cassius, who evidently had had the same
thought. "She'd swaller it."

"I suppose we'd better repair to your room, Alice, where we can
obtain the necessary articles. Mr. Smilk will naturally want to
ransack your room anyhow, so we 'll be saving quite a bit of time.
And the police are likely to be here any minute now."

"You forgot to take your rings off, ma'am," reminded Mr. Smilk.
"That's got to be attended to, first of all. Take 'em off, Mr.
Yollop, and put 'em here on the desk." A moment later he dropped the
three costly rings into his coat pocket. "Now," said he, "lead the
way. I'll be right behind you with the gun. No monkey business,
now,--remember that."

It was not long before Mrs. Champney, properly gagged, found herself
lashed to a rocking-chair in the charming little bed chamber,
occupying, so to speak, a select position from which to observe the