his right. The man collapsed, but at that instant a third man struck
Johnny on the head and, all but unconscious, he reeled and fell to the
ground.

Faintly as in a dream, he heard guttural murmurs. He felt the buttons
give as his coat was torn open. Then there came the ringing report of a
shot from the distance.

"Da bolice!" came in a guttural mutter.

* * * * *

The reason Hanada would not meet Johnny on this particular night was
that he had a pressing engagement with other persons. Just at seven
o'clock he might have been seen emerging from an obscure street. He
hailed a taxi-cab and getting in, drove due north across the river and
straight on until, with a sharp turn to the right, he drove two blocks
toward the lake, only to turn again to the right and cross the river
again. He had gone south several blocks when suddenly signaling the
driver to stop, he handed him a five-dollar bill and darted into the
welcoming portals of a vast hotel.

The next moment he was crossing marble floors to enter a heavily
carpeted parlor. This, too, he crossed. Then the walls of the room
seemed to swallow him up.

In a small, dimly lighted anteroom his coat and hat were taken by a
servant. He then stepped into a room where a round table was spread with
spotless linen and rare silver. There were five chairs ranged around
the table. Hanada frowned as he counted them.