With the released hand he had snapped the catch of an electric pocket-lamp, and in its blue glare he drew the revolver away from my head, and stepping aside, but always covering me with his weapon, motioned me to the further stool.

I obeyed him mechanically, and he pulled the table a little towards him, sat down on the other stool, and, resting his elbow on the table ledge, poked the revolver within a few inches of my nose.
"Now, we'll talk for a few minutes, Moneylaws," he said quietly, "Storm or no storm, I'm bound to be away on my business, and I'd have been off now if it hadn't been for your cursed peeping and prying.

But I don't want to kill you, unless I'm obliged to, so you'll just serve your own interests best if you answer a question or two and tell no lies.

Are there more of you outside or about ?" "Not to my knowledge!" said I.
"You came alone ?" he asked.
"Absolutely alone," I replied.
"And why ?" he demanded.
"To see if I could get any news of Miss Dunlop," I answered.
"Why should you think to find Miss Dunlop here--in this old ruin ?" he argued; and I could see he was genuinely curious.

"Come now--straight talk, Moneylaws!--and it'll be all the better for you." "She's missing since last night," I replied.