will be on again immediately."

Almost as he spoke the place was flooded with light.

The faces of the people were ghastly. A babel of voices arose.

"Where are the police?"

"Where are they?"

"Who said the police?"

The little dark gentleman whose name was Rubenstein stood upon a chair.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he called out, "nothing whatever has happened--
nothing! The electric lights went out owing to an accident, which I will
investigate. It seems to have been a practical joke on the part of the
lift man, who has disappeared. There are no police here. Please take your
places. The game will proceed."

They came back a little reluctantly, as though still afraid. Then suddenly
the banker's hoarse voice rang out through the room. All the time he had
been sitting like an automaton. Now he was on his feet, swaying backward
and forward, his eyes almost starting from his head.

"Lock the doors! The bank has been robbed! The notes have gone! Mr.
Rubenstein, don't let any one go out! I tell you there was two thousand
pounds upon the table. Some one has the notes!"

There was a little murmur of voices and a shriek from one of the women as