"James--sh--nothin'!" he protested loudly. "Lis'en. Tell you ... secret. I'm Queen 'f Sheba." "You ought to be ashamed of yourself--an old man like you," said the Inspector sadly. "Take him away." With that the influx ceased, and when a humdrum burglar was brought in the Inspector sent him on to Vine Street, feeling that his own preserves were already overstocked. There were now sixteen men divided in between the six vacant cells, and that their lubrication had been thorough was proved by the fact that muffled yelps of carolling still came through the charge room door. It was impossible to subdue the uproar, and the reserve P.C., whose duty it is to make a round of the cells at half-hour intervals, was pleading to be allowed to use chloroform. About two a.m., when the vociferation was become slightly hoarse and rather less enthusiastic, the reserve constable was making the round when from one of the further cells came a shuddering cry and the thud of a heavy fall. Running down the corridor, the constable found that it came from one of the cells where three men were herded together. One of them lay twitching on the ground, and the other two were watching him helplessly. "'Ad a fit," one of them muttered; and, seeing the gaoler, added: "Fetch a doctor--Bert 'as these fits. 'Orrible, it is." It was just at this moment, as far as one can gather, that a powerful lorry drew up by the kerb, almost opposite the station but on the other side of the road, and one of the men descended and lifted the bonnet as though to investigate a breakdown. The constable at the station entrance saw the incident, but thought nothing of it. The reserve P.C., meanwhile, not knowing what to do, called the relief Inspector, and together they entered the cell. Both were promptly killed. The three man who were guarding Mecklen rushed down the passage at the sound of the shots and were faced by the three prisoners--the epileptic having made a miraculous recovery--and threatened with automatic pistols. They were brave men, these three constables. Or else, perhaps, they did not expect the three toughs to shoot. Be that as it may, they continued to advance, and were shot down in cold blood.