"No, we won't begin in a few minutes," he announced, "not by a
damned sight!"

The explosion was so unexpected that, for an instant, while the
eyes of all were fixed in astonishment upon the speaker, there
was complete silence. Gaylor, still suave, still polite, looked
toward Vance, and motioned him to the door.

"Will you kindly do as I ask?" he said. With Mannie at his side,
Vance walked quickly from the room. Once in the hall, the boy
laid a detaining hand upon the arm of the older man.

"If you'll take my advice, which you won't," he said, "we'll all
cut and run now, while we got the chance!"

In the library, Gaylor turned savagely upon his fellow
conspirator.

"Well!" he demanded.

Rainey frowned at him sulkily. "I wash my hands of the whole
thing!" he cried.

Gaylor dropped his voice to a whisper.

"What are you afraid of now?: he demanded. "If you're not afraid
of a district attorney, why are you afraid of a reporter?"

"I'm not afraid of anybody," returned Rainey, thickly. "But, I
don't mean to be a party to no murder!" He paused, shaking his