man strode into the room and dropped to his knee beside the motionless
detective.

"I say!" he harshly growled, shaking Nick roughly by the shoulder.
"Brace up, you dog! Brace up, d'ye hear?"

Nick groaned deeply, then slowly opened his eyes.

"Oh, my head--my poor head!" he muttered, like one dazed and in pain.

"Your poor head, eh?" sneered the other. "You're dead lucky to have a
head left you. Pull yourself together, do you hear?"

"Let me be! Where am I?"

"You'll soon find out where you are. Sit up here!"

"What do you say?" cried Venner, from the next room. "Has he come to?"

The man at Nick's side turned his head to reply, and Nick then obtained
a clear view of his profile.

"Humph!" he mentally ejaculated. "Matthew Stall in disguise! One of the
diamond gang, sure enough, and I now know I am on the right track."

"Yes, he's finally coming to time," cried Stall, in reply to Venner. "He
will be all right in a minute."

"Bring him out here," commanded Cervera, sharply. "Get the wretch up,
and bring him out here."