The whizzer looked up with a wry smile. He was pale from loss of blood, but in no pain. His breath came in long, slow, wheezing draughts which scarcely stirred his shallow chest. The clear luminosity of the Beyond was in his eyes, and a strange serenity had smoothed out the wrinkles on his pinched face. "Where's ... Arden?" he asked, faintly. Bill Kennedy sat down on the bed, Teal remaining erect. "Captain Arden's gone to look for Miss Hawthorne," said Bill. "He wanted to settle the Triangle alone and we had to promise not to interfere unless he failed. I don't know how he was going to set about it, but he had some plan or other in his head." Birdie was silent. Then: "I never met 'im," he whispered. "But they s'y 'e was a good busy. Listen, Kennedy." Sands raised himself on one elbow. The effort caused him a fit of hoarse coughing, but he shook off Bill's restraining hand impatiently. "Yer gotta brike yer promise. Not only fer 'is sike. There's the 'Awthorne girl. She's there--in that 'ouse in Buckingham Gate. They'll kill 'er, sure. Or worse.... That Lew's a swine ... blarst 'im. Dunno w'y, but I 'ate Lew ... poison! More'n Morini, even--an' Morini knifed me. Throws knives like a bloke in a circus.... Oh, yer needn't shike yer 'ead. I know.... I'm not much ter look at--not much ter think of--I'm just a cheap crook, an' a little one at that. But I 'ad a sister once.... Joan.... She's married ter Mattock--strite an' proper, swelp me. She's clean. Teal--yer was always an honest dick--get 'er out of the mess--ter make a man 'appy yer won't never see agine?" "Yes," said Mr. Teal. Birdie pawed weakly at his throat, then held out a thin hand. Gravely Inspector Teal took it in a firm grip and held it for a moment. There was a silence. And then Birdie spoke again. Quickly and breathlessly, his voice growing a shade stronger, for the end was very near. "Get ter that 'ouse. Black 'ouse. Now. Wiv all the flatties yer can lay yer 'ands on. No time ter lose. Arden can't never win--'e don't know what I know. The Triangle's got a card Arden'll never beat. There's a tunnel--another blow-up, an' it's bigger'n Piccadilly! _'Urry!_ ... There's no other w'y ... ter get 'is girl ... out.... Never mind yer promise.... Will yer go?" Birdie clutched Bill's sleeve earnestly; and, quietly, Bill nodded. "Yes." "Then go! Ain't no ... time.... Don't wait fer me--I alw'ys lived alone.... S'pose I can die alone ... I'd rather...." A shrill, feeble cackle of laughter broke eerily from the dry lips. "Oh, yer damned Triangle! I got yer--Birdie, little crook Birdie.... An' I got yer ... smashed yer!... Blarst... yar!" ... And then the voice fell so low that Bill Kennedy had to lay his ear almost on Birdie's mouth to catch the gasping words.