Part 27 (1/2)

”Why, Nella says--” P Sybarite began deliberately; and paused to cough politely behind his hand; and leaned confidentially over the table

At this juncture the boy pushed back his chair and rose

”Pardon oin' home”

”Ah, sit down,” Nove his protean accents to a key of cajolery--”sit down and have another What's your hurry?”

His eyes caught the woht, dearie,” she chi hand on the boy's forearood fellow Stake me to just onefree--”I' home Le' me alone”

”Nella,” P Sybarite interpolated in an i November's attention--”Nella says to tell you she wants you--now--iet that?”

”dao to the devil

And you”--he menaced P Sybarite with a formidable look--”you slide outa here--in a hurry! See?”

With this, rising in his place, he put forth a hand to detain the boy, as sullenly pushi+ng past the woo before you pay up--”

Whipping from his pocket a note (of what denoe) P Sybarite slapped it down upon the table

”That'll pay whatever he owes,” he announced, and to the boy: ”Clear out--quick--do you hear!--while you've got a chance--”

”What t'ell business is it of yours?” Novematic smile, P Sybarite dexterously tipped up his side of the table and, overturning it, caught the gangster unprepared for any such le of wall and floor

I; while the littlehim toward the door actually before he realised as happening

Si table leapt into the braith an alacrity that sent their chairs clattering back upon the floor

But in his nificent assurance P Sybarite had foreseen and planned cunningly against precisely that sa on his way than he whirled couard--and in no ence

Already one of the creatures was alularly e) with his hands; just what he was up to P Sybarite had ti a wild swing, he planted a left full on the nose of the nearer assailant and knocked hi attention to the other, he was barely in time to duck an uppercut--and out of the corners of his eyes caught the glint of brass-knuckles on the fist that failed to land

Infuriated, he closed in, sent a staggering left to the thug's heart and a ht to his chin, so that he reeled and fell as if shot--while P Sybarite with a bound again caught the boy by the arh the doorway into the hall

”Hurry!” he panted ”We've one chance in ten thousand--”

Beyond doubt they had barely that