He rose from his chair again. This time Fletcher took his pipe from his
mouth and watched him closely. Burleigh stooped, and picking up the
notes, placed them in his pocket.

"If I am to be turned adrift, it shall not be to leave you here," he
said, in a thick voice.

He crossed over and shut the door; as he turned back Fletcher rose from
his chair and stood confronting him. Burleigh put his hand to the wall,
and drawing a small Japanese sword from its sheath of carved ivory,
stepped slowly toward him.

"I give you one chance, Fletcher," he said, grimly. "You are a man of
your word. Hush this up and let things be as they were before, and you
are safe."

"Put that down," said Fletcher, sharply.

"By ---, I mean what I say!" cried the other.

"I mean what I said!" answered Fletcher.

He looked round at the last moment for a weapon, then he turned suddenly
at a sharp sudden pain, and saw Burleigh's clenched fist nearly touching
his breast-bone. The hand came away from his breast again, and something
with it. It went a long way off. Trayton Burleigh suddenly went to a
great distance and the room darkened. It got quite dark, and Fletcher,
with an attempt to raise his hands, let them fall to his side instead,
and fell in a heap to the floor.