"Wouldn’t he? Well, then, he’s stallin’ you all right, all right, an’ he’s had a cinch doin’ it. This thing’s got to stop. I got to have them letters right off. To-night. Now. Get that?" The giant subordinate gnawed his upper lip. "That’s goin’ some, Lieutenant," he said. "If you don’t do it, you’ll be goin’ more: you’ll be goin’ off the force. Now then: you beat it. Get Reddy on the job. Tell him Mitchell knows the officer on that beat an’ ’ll see he an’ his friends ain’t interfered with. Nobody’ll be in the offices to-night; they’ve all been over to Cooper Union an’ ’ll be tired out. Reddy’ll be as safe as if he was at home in bed. He’d better have the Kid to help him." Donovan banged the table with his fist. "I want you back here in an hour with everything that’s inside that fellow Huber’s safe. See?" §8. In that shadowy alley near Forty-third Street and Third Avenue, where he had talked to Reddy Rawn before, Patrolman Guth talked now with Reddy Rawn and the Kid. "It ain’t my fault," he said. "I’ve stood him off as long as I could. You gotta do it now, an’ if you don’t he’ll have you two up for Crab Rotello’s assault. I know it. He means business this time. You can crack a safe, Kid, can’t you?" §9. On the stage at Cooper Union, Luke was holding an impromptu reception. Hundreds of people were streaming by him and shaking his hand. His arm ached, but he was proud and glad. At the end of the stream came Betty and Nicholson. Luke saw the girl long before she could reach him, and he smiled to her over the heads of the crowd. "You dear!" she whispered when, at last, her hand caught his. "I’m proud of you. I’m so proud!" He pressed her hand. "That’s the best praise of all," he said, and to her companion: "I’m glad you’re here, Mr. Nicholson." Nicholson shook hands. "I was glad to be here. I admired your delivery even where I disapproved of your treatment." "What?" laughed Luke. "Is the church going to make friends with the mammon of unrighteousness?" He was hoarse and hot and nervous, but he was too warmly aglow with his success to heed seriously the reply that Nicholson was beginning when one of his friends on the stage plucked his sleeve. He turned. "What is it?" he asked. "Nelson wants to see you. I don’t know what about, but he says it’s very important." "All right." Luke faced Betty and Nicholson again. "You’ll forgive me for just a moment, won’t you?" he said. "I’ll be right back, and then, if you’ll let me, I’ll drive over to Brooklyn with you both. I have a note from your father, Betty, asking me to come to the house." "I thought he was at the office," said Betty; "but I do hope you’ll come with us." "He’s back at the house now. This note came by messenger." "Then," said Nicholson, "I shan’t interfere with business. I’ll go home from here. Run along, Mr. Huber. I’ll guard Miss Forbes while you’re gone."