Somewhere, in the past, we have said that Nick Carter rarely let his temper act for him. But, like all men, he has a temper, and Jimmy Duryea had tried it sorely, in more ways than one, since Nick’s arrival at The Birches. It cannot be said that Nick exactly lost it at just that moment, but it is certain that he permitted it to act just long enough to stop Jimmy’s mouth, and to stop it effectually, too. The detective stepped forward, loosening his grasp upon Nan’s arm. For just an instant he peered into the face of Jimmy Duryea, and then he acted. His right fist shot forward, and it struck Jimmy squarely upon the jaw; and Jimmy went down like a clod of earth that is thrown from a shovel. Some of the women there cried out. The men uttered various exclamations, and several of them rushed forward at once. There was a commotion outside, in the hall, and the local constable, with two or three men to assist him, rushed into the room. Evidently they had been brought there for the occasion by Jimmy Duryea. But they halted at the aspect of Nick Carter, who stood facing them, directly over the figure of the prostrate man on the floor. CHAPTER XI. THE DIAMOND NECKLACE. “Stand back, all of you!” said Nick Carter, facing them all. “This man on the floor is my prisoner, and the one among you who attempts to interfere with me now will be sorry.” The constable and his assistants halted; they hesitated; and then Mr. Remsen pressed forward toward Nick. “Mr. Carter; Mr. Carter,” he expostulated, “you are going beyond your authority. You had no right to strike Mr. Dinwiddie. You——” “One moment, Mr. Remsen. As an officer, I admit that I had not the right to strike him in the way I did; but as a man, I not only had every right, but it was my duty. He was defaming a good woman, and doing it in a shamefaced manner that long ago earned him the title he bears—for, in spite of all that he has said, this man is none other than that very Bare-Faced Jimmy he has been talking about.” “Oh, you brute! you brute!” cried Lenore, striving in vain to escape from her mother’s detaining arms. Nick merely glanced at her and murmured, “Poor girl!” then he went on, addressing the constable, who was still reluctant to perform what he considered to be his duty. “Where did you come from?” Nick demanded of the constable. “From the village,” was the reply. “What is that to you, anyhow?” “You’ll find out what it is to me presently. Who asked you to come here?” “Mr. Dinwiddie; that man there, whom you knocked down.” “And why did he ask you to come here?” “He told me that there had been a jewel robbery, and that if I was on hand at this hour to-night, he would expose the thief, and that I would get the credit for the arrest.” “I thought so. He had it all nicely arranged, didn’t he? When did he tell you all that, Mr. Constable?”