there still was no reply, he struck the door sharply with his
knuckles. On the instant the voice of the Jew rang forth in an
angry bellow.

"Keep away from that door!" he commanded.

Ford turned to Miss Dale and bent his head close to hers.

"Now, why the devil didn't he answer?" he whispered. "Was it
because he wasn't there; or is he planning to steal away and wants
us to think that even if he does not answer, he's still outside?"
The girl nodded eagerly.

"This is it," she whispered. "My uncle is a coward or rather he is
very wise, and has left the house. And Prothero means to follow,
but he wants us to think he's still on guard. If we only KNEW!" she
exclaimed.

As though in answer to her thought, the voice of Prothero called to
them.

"Don't speak to me again," he warned. "If you do, I'll not answer,
or I'll shoot!"

Flattened against the wall, close to the hinges of the door, Ford
replied flippantly and defiantly:

"That makes conversation difficult, doesn't it?" he called.

There was a bursting report, and a bullet splintered the panel of