Burke wiped his forehead with his handkerchief, thus cutting off Jimmie's possible view of his features. "Ah, Jimmie, back again. And I see you're with my old friend, Sam Shepard!" Baxter rose to shake hands with the newcomer. He introduced him to Lorna, backing close against Burke's shoulder as he did so. "This is my friend, Sam Shepard, the theatrical manager, Miss Lorna," began Baxter. "He's the man who can get you on the stage. You know I was telling you about him. This is Miss Barton, you've heard about, Sam. Sit down and tell her about your new comic opera that you're casting now." [Illustration: "This is my friend, Sam Shepard, the theatrical manager, Miss Lorna. He's the man who can get you on the stage.] As Shepard shook Lorna's hand, Jimmie leaned over toward Baxter's ear to whisper. They were not two feet from Burke's own ears, so he heard the message: "I've got de taxi ready. Now, make a good getaway to Reilly's house, Baxter." "Say, Jimmie, just a minute," murmured Baxter. "This girl says a cop was up calling on her father. I met the guy. His name was Burke. Do you know him? Is he apt to queer anything?" Jimmie the Monk started. "Burke? What did he look like?" "Oh, pretty slick-looking gink. Well set-up--looked like an army man, and gave me a hard stare when he lamped me. Had been in the hospital with the old fellow." "Gee, dat's Burke, de guy dat's been after me, and I'm goin' ter do 'im. Is he buttin' in on dis?" "Yes; what about him? You're not scared of him, are you?" "Naw; but he's a bad egg. Say, he's a rookie dat t'inks 'e kin clean up our gang. Now, you better dish dis job and let Shepard pull de trick. Take it from yer Uncle Jim!" Every syllable was audible to Burke, but Lorna was exchanging pleasantries with Shepard, who had taken Baxter's seat. "All right, Jimmie. Beat it yourself." Baxter turned around as Jimmie quietly slipped away. Baxter leaned over the table to smirk into the face of the young girl. "Say, Miss Lorna, some of my friends are over in another corner of the room, and I'm going to speak to them. Now, save the next tango for me. Mr. Shepard will fix it for you, and if you jolly him right you can get into his new show, 'The Girl and the Dragon,' can't she, Sam?" "Where are you going?" exclaimed Shepard in a gruff tone. "You've got to attend to something for me to-night." There was a brutal dominance which vibrated in his voice. Here was a desperate character, thought Burke, who was accustomed to command others; he was not the flabby weakling type, like Baxter and Craig. "It's better for you to do it, Sam. I'll tell you later. Jimmie just tipped me off that there's a bull on the trail that's lamped me." Burke understood the shifting of their business arrangement, but to Lorna the crook's slang was so much gibberish.