you into our confidence and let you go away again so easily?"
Mr. Bim's smile became broader.
"Gents, I won't deceive you," he said. "I expected a rough house and prepared for it. Watch me!"
He extended one of his hands in the manner of a conjurer and with the other pulled up the sleeve above the wrist. He turned the hands over, waggling the fingers as though he were giving a performance, and they watched him curiously.
"There's nothing there, is there?" said Cherry Bim, beaming at the company, "and yet there is something there. Look!"
No eyes were sharp enough to follow the quick movement of his hand. None saw it drop or rise again. There was a slur of movement, and then, in the hand which had been empty, was a long-barrelled Colt. Cherry Bim, taking no notice of the sensation he created, tossed the revolver to the ceiling and caught it again.
"Now, gents, I don't know whether you're foolish or only just crazy. Get away from that door, Hector," he said to a long-haired man who stood with folded arms against the closed door. And "Hector," whose name was Nickolo Novoski Yasserdemski in real life, made haste to obey.
"Wait a bit," said the careful gun-man. "That's
