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His panion laughed。 If Jimmy had had a more intimate acquaintance with the resourceful individual whom the 〃boys〃 called Gentleman Jack； he would have been disquieted by that laugh。 It was an axiom among those who knew him well； that when Gentleman Jack chuckled in the reflective way； he generally had something unpleasant up his sleeve。
〃It's your lucky night；〃 said Gentleman Jack。
〃It looks like it。〃
〃Well； it isn't over yet。〃
〃Very nearly。 You had better go and put that test…tube back in what is left of the safe now。 Did you think I had forgotten it？〃
〃What test…tube？〃
〃e； e； old friend！ The one filled with Partridge's explosive； which you have in your breast…pocket。〃
Gentleman Jack laughed again。 Then he moved towards the safe。
〃Place it gently on the top shelf；〃 said Jimmy。
The next moment every nerve in his body was leaping and quivering。 A great shout split the air。 Gentleman Jack； apparently insane； was giving tongue at the top of his voice。
〃Help！ Help！ Help！〃
The conversation having been conducted up to this point in undertones； the effect of this unexpected uproar was like an explosion。 The cries seemed to echo round the room and shake the very walls。 For a moment Jimmy stood paralysed； staring feebly； then there was a sudden deafening increase in the din。 Something living seemed to writhe and jump in his hand。 He dropped it incontinently； and found himself gazing in a stupefied way at a round； smoking hole in the carpet。 Such had been the effect of Gentleman Jack's unforeseen outburst that he had quite forgotten that he held the revolver； and he had been unfortunate enough at this juncture to pull the trigger。
There was a sudden rush and a swirl of action。 Something hit Jimmy under the chin。 He staggered back； and when he had recovered himself found himself looking into the muzzle of the revolver which had nearly blown a hole in his foot a moment back。 The sardonic face of Gentleman Jack smiled grimly over the barrel。
〃I told you the night wasn't over yet！〃 he said。
The blow under the chin had temporarily dulled Jimmy's mentality。 He stood； swallowing and endeavouring to pull himself together and to get rid of a feeling that his head was about to e off。 He backed to the desk and steadied himself against it。
As he did so； a voice from behind him spoke。
〃Whassall this？〃
He turned his head。 A curious procession was filing in through the open French window。 First came Mr。 Crocker； still wearing his hideous mask； then a heavily bearded individual with round spectacles； who looked like an automobile ing through a haystack； then Ogden Ford； and finally a sturdy； determined…looking woman with glittering but poorly co…ordinated eyes； who held a large revolver in her unshaking right hand and looked the very embodiment of the modern female who will stand no nonsense。 It was part of the nightmare…like atmosphere which seemed to brood inexorably over this particular night that this person looked to Jimmy exactly like the parlour…maid who had e to him in this room in answer to the bell and who had sent his father to him。 Yet how could it be she？ Jimmy knew little of the habits of parlour…maids； but surely they did not wander about with revolvers in the small hours？
While he endeavoured feverishly to find reason in this chaos； the door opened and a motley crowd； roused from sleep by the cries； poured in。 Jimmy； turning his head back again to attend to this invasion； perceived Mrs。 Pett； Ann； two or three of the geniuses； and Willie Partridge； in various stages of negligee and babbling questions。
The woman with the pistol； assuming instant and unquestioned domination of the assembly； snapped out an order。
〃Shutatdoor！〃
Somebody shut the door。
〃Now； whassall this？〃 she said； turning to Gentleman Jack。
CHAPTER XXIII
STIRRING TIMES FOR THE PETTS
GENTLEMAN Jack had lowered his revolver； and was standing waiting to explain all； with the insufferable look of the man who is just going to say that he has only done his duty and requires no thanks。
〃Who are you？〃 he said。
〃Nev' min' who I am！〃 said Miss Trimble curtly。 〃Siz Pett knows who I am。〃
〃I hope you won't be offended； Lord Wisbeach；〃 said Mrs。 Pett from the group by the door。 〃I engaged a detective to help you。 I really thought you could not manage everything by yourself。 I hope you do not mind。〃
〃Not at all； Mrs。 Pett。 Very wise。〃
〃I'm so glad to hear you say so。〃
〃An excellent move。〃
Miss Trimble broke in on these amiable exchanges。
〃Whassall this？ Howjer meanhelp me？〃
〃Lord Wisbeach most kindly offered to do all he could to protect my nephew's explosive；〃 said Mrs。 Pett。
Gentleman Jack smiled modestly。
〃I hope I have been of some slight assistance！ I think I came down in the nick of time。 Look！〃 He pointed to the safe。 〃He had just got it open！ Luckily I had my pistol with me。 I covered him； and called for help。 In another moment he would have got away。〃
Miss Trimble crossed to the safe and inspected it with a frown； as if she disliked it。 She gave a grunt and returned to her place by the window。
〃Made good job 'f it！〃 was her ment。
Ann came forward。 Her face was glowing and her eyes shone。
〃Do you mean to say that you found Jimmy breaking into the safe？ I never heard anything so absurd！〃
Mrs。 Pett intervened。
〃This is not James Crocker； Ann！ This man is an impostor； who came into the house in order to steal Willie's invention。〃 She looked fondly at Gentleman Jack。 〃Lord Wisbeach told me so。 He only pretended to recognise him this afternoon。〃
A low gurgle proceeded from the open mouth of little Ogden。 The proceedings bewildered him。 The scene he had overheard in the library between the two men had made it clear to him that Jimmy was genuine and Lord Wisbeach a fraud； and he could not understand why Jimmy did not produce his proofs as before。 He was not aware that Jimmy's head was only just beginning to clear from the effects of the blow on the chin。 Ogden braced himself for resolute lying in the event of Jimmy calling him as a witness。 But he did not intend to have his little business proposition dragged into the open。
Ann was looking at Jimmy with horror…struck eyes。 For the first time it came to her how little she knew of him and how very likely it wasin the face of the evidence it was almost certainthat he should have e to the house with the intention of stealing Willie's explosive。 She fought against it； but a voice seemed to remind her that it was he who had suggested the idea of posing as Jimmy Crocker。 She could not help remembering how smoothly and willingly he had embarked on the mad scheme。 But had it been so mad？ Had it not been a mere cloak for this other venture？ If Lord Wisbeach had found him in this room； with the safe blown open； what other explanation could there be？ And then； simultaneously with her conviction that he was a criminal； came the certainty that he was the man she loved。 It had only needed the spectacle of him in trouble to make her sure。 She came to his side with the vague idea of doing something to help him； of giving him her support。 Once there； she found that there was nothing to do and nothing to say。 She put her hand on his； and stood waiting helplessly for she knew not what。
It was the touch of her fingers which woke Jimmy from his stupor。 He came to himself almost with a jerk。 He had been mistily aware of what had been said； but speech had been beyond him。 Now； quite suddenly； he was a whole man once more。 He threw himself into the debate with energy。
〃Good Heavens！〃 he cried。 〃You're all wrong。 I found him blowing open the safe！〃
Gentleman Jack smiled superciliously。
〃A likely story； what！ I mean to say； it's a bit thin！〃
〃Ridiculous！〃 said Mrs。 Pett。 She turned to Miss Trimble with a gesture。 〃Arrest that man！〃
〃Wait a mom'nt；〃 replied that clear…headed maiden； picking her teeth thoughtfully with the muzzle of her revolver。 〃Wait mom'nt。 Gotta look 'nto this。 Hear both these guys' st'ries。〃
〃Really；〃 said Gentleman Jack suavely； 〃it seems somewhat absurd〃
〃Ney' mind how 'bsurd 't sounds；〃 returned the fair Trimble rebukingly。 〃You close y'r face 'n lissen t' me。 Thass all you've gotta do。〃
〃I know you didn't do it！〃 cried Ann； tightening her hold on Jimmy's arm。
〃Less 'f it； please。 Less 'f it！〃 Miss Trimble removed the pistol from her mouth and pointed it at Jimmy。 〃What've you to say？ Talk quick！〃
〃I happened to be down there〃
〃Why？〃 asked Miss Trimble； as if she had touched off a bomb。
Jimmy stopped short。 He perceived difficulties in the way of explanation。
〃I happened to be down there；〃 he resumed stoutly； 〃and that man came into the room with an electric torch and a blowpipe and began working on the safe〃
The polished tones of Gentleman Jack cut in on his story。
〃Really now； is it worth while？〃 He turned to Miss Trimble。 〃I came down here； having heard a noise。 I did not happen to be here for some unexplained purpose。 I was lying awake and something attracted my attention。 As Mrs。 Pett knows； I was suspicious of this worthy and expected him to make an attempt on the explosive at any moment： so I took my pistol and crept downstairs。 When I got here； the safe was open and this man making for the window。〃
Miss Trimble scratched her chin caressingly with the revolver； and remained for a moment in thought。 Then she turned to Jimmy like a striking rattlesnake。
〃Y' gotta pull someth'g better th'n that；〃 she said。 〃I got y'r number。 Y're caught with th' goods。〃
〃No！〃 cried Ann。
〃Yes！〃 said Mrs。 Pett。 〃The thing is obvious。〃
〃I think the best thing I can do；〃 said Gentleman Jack smoothly； 〃is to go and telephone for the police。〃
〃You think of everything； Lord Wisbeach；〃 said Mrs。 Pett。
〃Not at all；〃 said his lordship。
Jimmy watched him moving to the door。 At the back of his mind there was a dull feeling that he could solve the whole trouble if only he could remember one fact which had escaped him。 The effects of the blow he had received still handicapped him。 He struggled to remember； but without result。 Gentleman Jack reached the door and opened it： and as he did so a shrill yapping； hitherto inaudible because of the intervening oak and the raised voices within； made itself heard from the passage outside。 Gentleman Jack closed the door with a hasty bang。
〃I say that dog's out there！〃 he said plaintively。
The scratching of Aida's busy feet on the wood bore out his words。 He looked about him； baffled。
〃That dog's out there！〃 he repeated gloomily。
Something seemed to give way in Jimmy's brain。 The simple fact which had eluded him till now sprang into his mind。
〃Don't let that man get out！〃 he cried。 〃Good Lord！ I've only just remembered。 You say you found me breaking into the safe！ You say you heard a noise and came down to investigate！ Well； then； what's that test…tube of the explosive doing in your breast…pocket？〃 He swung round to Miss Trimble。 〃You needn't take my word or his word。 There's a much simpler way of finding out who's the real crook。 Search us both。〃 He began to turn out his pockets rapidly。 〃Look hereand hereand here！ Now ask him to do the same！〃
He was pleased to observe a spasm pass across Gentleman Jack's hitherto posed countenance。 Miss Trimble was eyeing the latter with sudden suspicion。
〃Thasso！〃 she said。 〃Say； Bill； I've f'gott'n y'r name'sup to you to show us！ Less've a look 't what y' got inside there。〃
Gentleman Jack drew himself up haughtily。
〃I really could not agree to〃
Mrs。 Pett interrupted indignantly。
〃I never heard of such a thing！ Lord Wisbeach is an old friend〃
〃Less'f it！〃 ordered Miss Trimble； whose left eye was now like the left eye of a basilisk。 〃Y' gotta show us； Bill； so b' quick 'bout 't！〃
A tired smile played over Gentleman Jack's face。 He was the bored aristocrat； mutely protesting against something that 〃wasn't done。〃 He dipped his slender fingers into his pocket。 Then； drawing out the test…tube； and holding it up； he spoke with a drawling calm for which even Jimmy could not help admiring him。
〃All right！ If I'm done； I'm done！〃
The sensation caused by his action and his words was of the kind usually described as profound。 Mrs。 Pett uttered a strangled shriek。 Willie P