A sharp cutting wind was blowing in Monty’s face as he left the house.  He was thoroughly wretched.

“Throw up your hands!” came hoarsely from somewhere, and there was no tenderness in the tones.  For an instant Monty was dazed and bewildered, but in the next he saw two shadowy figures walking beside him.  “Stop where you are, young fellow,” was the next command, and he stopped short.  He was in a mood to fight, but the sight of a revolver made him think again.  Monty was not a coward, neither was he a fool.  He was quick to see that a struggle would be madness.

“What do you want?” he demanded as coolly as his nerves would permit.

“Put up your hands quick!” and he hastily obeyed the injunction.

“Not a sound out of you or you get it good and proper.  You know what we want.  Get to work, Bill; I’ll watch his hands.”

“Help yourselves, boys.  I’m not fool enough to scrap about it.  Don’t hit me or shoot, that’s all.  Be quick about it, because I’ll take cold if my overcoat is open long.  How’s business been to-night?” Brewster was to all intents and purposes the calmest man in New York.

“Fierce!” said the one who was doing the searching.  “You’re the first guy we’ve seen in a week that looks good.”

“I hope you won’t be disappointed,” said Monty, genially.  “If I’d expected this I might have brought more money.”

“I guess we’ll be satisfied,” chuckled the man with the revolver.  “You’re awful nice and kind, mister, and maybe you wouldn’t object to tellin’ us when you’ll be up dis way ag’in.”

“It’s a pleasure to do business with you, pardner,” said the other, dropping Monty’s $300 watch in his. pocket.  “We’ll leave car-fare for you for your honesty.”  His hands were running through Brewster’s pockets with the quickness of a machine.  “You don’t go much on jewelry, I guess.  Are dese shoit buttons de real t’ing?”

“They’re pearls,” said Monty, cheerfully.

“My favorite jool,” said the man with the revolver.  “Clip ’em out, Bill.”

“Don’t cut the shirt,” urged Monty.  “I’m going to a little supper and I don’t like the idea of a punctured shirt-front.”

“I’ll be as careful as I kin, mister.  There, I guess dat’s all.  Shall I call a cab for you, sir?”

“No, thank you, I think I’ll walk.”

“Well, just walk south a hundred steps without lookin’ ’round er yellin’ and you kin save your skin.  I guess you know what I mean, pardner.”

“I’m sure I do.  Good-night.”

“Good-night,” came in chuckles from the two hold-up men.  But Brewster hesitated, a sharp thought penetrating his mind.

“By gad!” he exclaimed, “you chaps are very careless.  Do you know you’ve missed a roll of three hundred dollars in this overcoat pocket?” The men gasped and the spasmodic oaths that came from them were born of incredulity.  It was plain that they doubted their ears.

“Say it ag’in,” muttered Bill, in bewildered tones.