“The burglar then stood looking out with his revolver pointed up the stairs.  I was about to give another tweak at the fishing-line when an unmistakable creak came from the upper stairs.  I think this somewhat reassured my friend, for I heard him mutter that ’he supposed it was them dam girls.’  He stepped cautiously outside the door, and, fumbling in his pocket, produced a little electric bulls-eye, the light of which he threw up the stairs.

“The opportunity was perfect.  Against the circle of light produced by his lamp his head stood out black and distinct, its back towards me, one outstanding ear serving to explain what I may call the constructive details of the flat, dark shape.

“With my left hand I silently held aside the curtain and took a careful aim.  Remembering the mishap with Number One, I selected the right parietal eminence, an oblique impact on which would be less likely to injure the base of the skull than a vertical blow.  But I put my whole strength into the stroke, and when the padded weight descended on the spot selected, the burglar doubled up as if struck by lightning.

“The impact of the concussor was silent enough, but the man fell with a resounding crash, and the revolver and lamp flew from his hands and rattled noisily along the floor of the hall.  The instant I had struck the blow I ran lightly up the hall and softly turned the knob of the farther door.  Fortunately the two men in the room were too much alarmed to rush out into the hall, or, with the aid of their lamp, they would have seen me.  But they were extremely cautious.  I thrust my head in at the door and from the dark end of the room I could see them peering out of the other door and listening intently.  After a short interval they tip-toed out into the hall and I lost sight of them.

“Close to the farther door was a large, four-fold Japanese screen.  It had sheltered me in my last adventure and I thought it might do so again, as the prostrate burglar was lying a couple of yards past the opening of the door and his two friends were probably examining him.  Accordingly I stepped softly along the room and took up a position behind the screen in a recess of the folds.  My movements had evidently been unobserved and my new position enabled me to peep out into the hall—­at some risk of being seen—­and to hear all that passed.

“For the moment there was nothing to hear but a faint rustling from the two men and an occasional creak from the upper stairs.  But presently I caught a hoarse whisper.

“‘Dam funny.  He seems to be dead.’

“‘Yus; he do look like it,’ the other agreed and then added optimistically, ‘but p’raps he’s only took queer.’

“‘Dam!’ was the impatient rejoinder.  ’I tell yer he’s dead—­dead as a pork chop.’

“There was another silence and then, in a yet softer whisper, a voice asked: 

“’D’yer think somebody’s been and done ‘im in, Fred?’