"You're two men, and I'm only a woman, but you'll find that I'm much more than a match for the pair of you; and if you're not careful I'll thrash you both till within an inch of your lives; I'll leave marks on you which you'll carry to your graves. As for you, you bloated old whisky barrel, I've only got to give you one or two smart ones in the proper place, and you'll be in your grave before you think. So if you want to keep on living, you'll make no more bones about handing me that cheque." "This--this is worse than highway robbery! In my own office you--you positively threaten----" "Threaten! I'll do more than threaten! Quick! Are you going to fork up or am I to break every bone in your body?" "I--I--I will not be bullied----" "Bullied! I'll show you!" She snatched up a stout malacca cane which stood by Mr. McTavish's table, and which was that gentleman's property. "To start with, I'll splinter this over your bodies, then I'll smash everything else in the place, and you into the bargain. Now is it going to be the coin or----" The hand holding the stick went up into the air, the gesture rounding off the sentence with sufficient significance. "You wicked woman! how dare you threaten me with my own stick? Help! Where is that policeman?" "Policeman! Do you think I care for a policeman? Not that much!" Down came the stick with a swishing sound through the air. As it descended Mr. Luker caught the lady by the wrist. "Mrs. Lamb, I do implore you to pause a moment for consideration. I reiterate my conviction that if you will only exercise a little patience this matter can be settled amicably and without violence." "Luker, if you don't want to let yourself in for a little handling on your own account you'll let go of my wrist." "On the contrary, Mr. Luker, I beg you will keep a tight hold--the woman must be stark mad." "Mad!" With a sudden twist Mrs. Lamb wrenched herself loose from Mr. Luker, and that same moment there was a smart rapping at the door, and an authoritative voice was heard without. "I'm a police constable. What's going on in there? Open this door at once." "Break it open, constable, break it open. I'm Mr. McTavish, and I authorise you. We're--we're in actual danger of our lives." There must have been some one on the other side who knew how to deal with a locked door, for in a surprisingly short space of time it was open. A constable was revealed, supported by a considerable body of clerks, of all ages, in the background. The representative of law and order advanced into the room. "What's taking place in here?" "I'm Mr. McTavish, officer, the senior partner in this firm. This--this woman has been endeavouring to extract money by means of threats. I must request you to eject her from these premises at once." "Do you charge her?" "Not at this moment, though, no doubt, later proceedings will be taken which will bring home to her a sense of her misconduct. At present all I want you to do is to turn her out."