"Very well," replied Mr. McLain, "come to me tomorrow morning and I will settle with you." * * * * * "Nick Hanson, Genesee House, Buffalo, N.Y., U.S.A: Come quick. Your man is here. Risis--Montreal." Hanson received this telegram at seven o'clock in the morning, while eating his breakfast in the old Genesee House, Buffalo. In thirty minutes he was on the Niagara Express. That night about ten o'clock two men walked into the public room of the Majestic. Just outside the office door, in a lounging chair, sat the prospective landlord, as everybody called him. One of the newcomers was Ben Loring, a well-known detective of the Montreal department; the other our old friend Nick Hanson. "Hello, Blair!" exclaimed Nick, in his usual jovial tones, as if greeting an old friend, as he confidently held out his hand. At that instant, instead of receiving a handshake, he received a tremendous blow on the neck, just the place which pugilists aim for. Nick staggered and almost fell. This blow was not struck by the major, but by his new clerk, who had not been observed by either of the newcomers. "Two can play at that game," muttered Ben Loring, as he felled Hiram to the floor with a sweeping blow, and in half a minute Ben had his nippers on the young man's wrists. "I'll teach you to interfere with an officer in the line of duty," he added. In the meantime, as Nick staggered up, and the major saw him gaining his equilibrium, he succeeded in drawing a revolver, but as he raised it to about the level of Hanson's breast that athlete kicked the hand that held it, and the gun flew upward, struck the ceiling, was discharged, and fell harmlessly to the floor, while the dislocated hand of the major dropped helplessly to his side. The other wrist was instantly handcuffed, and within a few minutes both landlord and clerk were helpless prisoners on their way to the police station. Arriving at that place, they were duly searched by an officer and their pockets emptied. From the major was taken a receipt signed by Case for a package of money said to contain fifty thousand pounds. Then a doctor was found to examine his crippled hand. There was a compound fracture in addition to the dislocation. It was now nearly midnight. After the injured hand had been properly treated and dressed the prisoners were locked up, and the officers returned to the hotel, where Case handed over to them the package of money. The two officers examined the notes and, finding them to be as the major had represented, departed with them in their possession, pending the proper disposition of the case. When they were gone the two detectives sat discussing the event that had just occurred. "But who is the fellow that gave you the lick which so nearly put you to sleep?" asked Ben.