“Now, ef ye’re ready fer business at last, let’s git at it without any palaver.” “We’re ready,” responded Leonard. “Prove it.” Leonard glanced at Snell, who slowly drew a wallet from his pocket, and took from it a number of one-thousand-dollar bills. The eyes of the men in the gang flashed greedily. “I’d ruther ’twas gold,” muttered the leader, “but it looks straight enough.” “It’s perfectly straight,” said Snell, closing the wallet. “Wal, but what are ye doin’ now? You brought that stuff to hand over, didn’t ye?” “Certainly; when you deliver the goods.” It was Snell who responded, and his voice was calm now. He seemed to feel that his victory was won. Leonard, on the other hand, looked worried. “Guess that’s right enough, then,” remarked the leader. “We’ve got the goods, an’ we’ll show thet we can meet ye. Harry——” He interrupted himself suddenly, with a glance at Patsy. “’Twon’t do,” he added, in a decided tone; “not jest yet. We don’t want no witnesses to this perceedin’. I don’t perfess to say thet this geezer’s a detective, but dead men tell no tales. I wisht we’d bored holes in him out thar in the hills.” “Better not do any shootin’ here,” suggested one of the men. “Right; but thar’s a good way, jest as quiet an’ peaceable as a graveyard. Take him into the basement.” “What!” exclaimed Harry, “you wouldn’t do that?” “Wouldn’t I? In course I would,” replied the leader, harshly. “You go an’ git the goods, Harry, an’ mind yer own business. Two or three of ye gag that geezer and tie his feet. Then take him to the basement. Hear?” They heard. Patsy saw young Harry’s face pale as he went slowly from the room. Others proceeded promptly to obey the leader. “I wonder if my time has really come at last?” thought the detective. He could make no resistance, and tried none. It was useless, too, to bluff the men or try to plead with them. They stuffed his own handkerchief in his mouth and tied a cord tightly around his ankles. Then they lifted him, while the rest of the gang and Snell and Leonard looked silently on, and took him from the room by a door that opened upon a stairway. Down the stairs and along a short passage they carried the helpless detective, and at last laid him upon a cemented floor. Not a ray of light was there. The men stumbled in the darkness as if they were not familiar with the place. “Say yer pra’rs, tenderfoot,” remarked one of them, with a harsh chuckle, as he started away. “He’s got nerve,” said another, noticing that no sound came from their victim’s throat. “More likely he’s scared silly,” returned the first. One of them was feeling along the wall. “Hurry up,” said the other. “It’s all right, I’ve found it,” was the reply from a corner. “Full on,” said the first. “So ’tis.” “Come on, then.” They went out. Patsy heard the door close behind them. Then their steps stumbling along the passage and upstairs. At last he heard the opening and shutting of a door at the top.