Jefferson Locke broke in excitedly: "Choke him good! Choke him! That's right. Put him out for keeps. For God's sake, don't let him go!" But it was not Kirk's idea to strangle his victim beyond a certain point. He relaxed his grip after a moment and, nodding to Ringold to do likewise, took the fellow's wrists himself, then swung him about until he faced the others. The man's lungs filled with fresh air, he began to struggle once more, and when his voice had returned he gasped: "I'll get you for this. You'll do a trick--" He mumbled a name that did not sound at all like Jefferson Locke, whereupon the Missourian made a rush at him that required the full strength of Anthony's free hand to thwart. "Here, stand back! I've got him!" "I'll kill him!" chattered the other. "Let me go," the stranger gasped. "I'll take you all in. I'm an officer." "It's a lie!" shouted Locke. "He's a thief." "I tell you I'm--an officer; I arrest this--" The words were cut off abruptly by a loud exclamation from Higgins and a crash of glass. Kirk Anthony's face was drenched, his eyes were filled with a stinging liquid; he felt his prisoner sink limply back into his arms and beheld Higgins struggling in the grasp of big Marty Ringold, the foil-covered neck of a wine bottle in his fingers. The foolish fellow had been hovering uncertainly round the edges of the crowd, longing to help his friends and crazily anxious to win glory by some deed of valor. At the first opening he had darted wildly into the fray, not realizing that the enemy was already helpless in the hands of his captors. "I've got him!" he cried, joyously. "He's out!' "Higgins!" Anthony exclaimed, sharply. "What the devil--" Then the dead weight in his arms, the lolling head and sagging jaw of the stranger, sobered him like a deluge of ice-water. "You've done it this time," he muttered. "Good God!" Locke cried. "Let's get away! He's hurt!" "Here, you!" Anthony shot a command at the speaker that checked him half-way across the room. "Ringold, take the door and don't let anybody in or out." To Higgins he exclaimed, "You idiot, didn't you see I had his hands?" "No. Had to get him," returned Higgins, with vinous dignity. "Wanted to rob my old friend, Mr.--What's his name?" "We've got to leave quick before we get in bad," Locke reiterated, nervously, but Anthony retorted: "We're in bad now. I want Padden." He stepped to the door and signaled a passing waiter. A moment later the proprietor knocked, and Ringold admitted him. "What's the--" Padden started at sight of the motionless figure on the floor, and, kneeling beside it, made a quick examination, while Anthony explained the circumstances leading up to the assault. "Thief, eh? I see." "Is he badly hurt?" queried Locke, bending a pale face upon them.