In the meantime, as Nick staggered up, and the major saw him gaining his equilibrium, he succeeded in drawing a revolver, but as he raised it to about the level of Hanson’s breast that athlete kicked the hand that held it, and the gun flew upward, struck the ceiling, was discharged, and fell harmlessly to the floor, while the dislocated hand of the major dropped helplessly to his side.  The other wrist was instantly handcuffed, and within a few minutes both landlord and clerk were helpless prisoners on their way to the police station.  Arriving at that place, they were duly searched by an officer and their pockets emptied.  From the major was taken a receipt signed by Case for a package of money said to contain fifty thousand pounds.  Then a doctor was found to examine his crippled hand.  There was a compound fracture in addition to the dislocation.

It was now nearly midnight.  After the injured hand had been properly treated and dressed the prisoners were locked up, and the officers returned to the hotel, where Case handed over to them the package of money.  The two officers examined the notes and, finding them to be as the major had represented, departed with them in their possession, pending the proper disposition of the case.  When they were gone the two detectives sat discussing the event that had just occurred.

“But who is the fellow that gave you the lick which so nearly put you to sleep?” asked Ben.

“O, that is Thurston, who is at the bottom of this whole Montreal scheme.  He came here and learned that McLain had a safe of his own, and was the custodian of his own money, and knowing that no bank would receive one of these notes, since they have all the numbers, and that McLain would in all probability give no particular thought to the matter of the numbered notes, they both determined to risk buying and paying with this marked money, hold the property a while, sell out, if necessary for less than they gave, and, by selling, get hold of money that they could use.”

“Nothing plainer,” said Ben, when Nick had finished, “and tomorrow was the day set for closing the deal and turning the property over to the new owner.”

“This Thurston,” said Nick, “is the fellow that slipped away from Job Worth, taking Job’s watch and one hundred pounds of his money.”

Just as they were about to go to bed Mr. McLain arrived, and in the conversation which ensued made it clear that while deploring the unfortunate developments in the case, he really entertained no regret in having failed to dispose of the Majestic.

The next day a consultation was held at the Montreal Police Headquarters.  There were present Nick Hanson, Ben Loring, the chief of police, the mayor of the city, two attorneys, Mr. Cross, cashier of the First National Bank, and Mr. McLain.  The money was produced, together with the announcement issued by the Bank of England, and the cashier showed the list of numbers of the missing notes.  The next