"Do you see this coverlet about my head? That's what I got for attemptin' it. They escaped from the garret, by getting upon the roof, and jumpin' down on a shed. If my calculations are correct, they're up-stairs jist now, preparin' for their campaign on your cash-box and jugular."-- "Cash-box! I have no cash-box. My cash is all in bank!" "Gammon. It won't do. Behind yer seat is yer iron safe,--one o' th' Salamanders; you're got ten thousand in gold, in _that_." Mr. Somers changed color. "They intend to blow up the lock with powder, after they'd fixed your _jugular_." Mr. Somers clasped his hands, and shook like a leaf. "What's to be done, what's to be done!" he cried in perfect agony. "There's six o' my fellows outside. I've got a special warrant from the authorities. Now, if you've a key to Evelyn's rooms, we'll just go up-stairs and search 'em. You can stand outside, while we go in. But no noise,--no fuss you know." "But they'll murder you," cried the merchant, "they'll murder me. They'll,"-- Blossom drew a six-barreled revolver from one pocket, and a slung-shot from the other. "This is my _settler_," he elevated his revolver, "and this, my _gentle persuader_," he brandished the slung-shot. "Oh!" cried Mr. Somers, "property is no longer respected,--ah! what times we've fallen in!" "How many folks have you in the house?" "The servants sleep in the fourth story, over Evelyn's room. The housekeeper sleeps under Evelyn's room, and my room and the room of my private secretary are just above where I am sitting." "Good. Now take the candle, and come," responded Blossom, "we want you as a witness." The merchant prince made many signs of hesitation,--winking his heavy lids, rubbing his low forehead with both hands, and pressing his pointed chin between his thumb and forefinger,--but Blossom seized the candle, and made toward the door. "You are not going to leave me in the dark?" cried Mr. Somers, bounding from his chair. "Not if you follow the light," responded Blossom; "by-the-by, you may as well bring the keys to Evelyn's room." With a trembling hand, Mr. Somers lifted a huge bunch of keys from the table. "There, open all the rooms on the second and fourth floors," he said, and followed Blossom into the hall. There, shoulder to shoulder, stood six stout figures, in glazed caps and great coats of rough, dark-colored cloth, with a mace or a pistol protruding from every pocket. They stood as silent as blocks of stone. "Boys," whispered Blossom, "we'll go up first. You follow and station yerselves on the second landin', so as to be ready when I whistle." A murmur of assent was heard, and Blossom, light in hand, led the merchant prince toward the stairway which led upward from the center of the hall. At the foot of the stairway, they were confronted by a servant-maid, who had answered the bell when Blossom first rang: her red, round cheeks were pale as ashes, and she clung to the railing of the staircase for support.