At the same instant five bewhiskered individuals appeared as if by magic with drawn revolvers, dominating the situation completely.

The speaker was Andrew Gregory, the insurance agent.
"Now, what have you got to say ?" cried Anderson gaily.

"I guess me an' the detectives have you cornered all right, ain't we ?" The audience sat stupefied, paralysed.

While all this was going on upon the inside, a single detective on the outside was stealthily puncturing the tires of every automobile in the collection, Mr.Bracken's huge touring car being excepted for reasons to be seen later on.
"Good heavens!" groaned old Judge Brewster.

A half dozen women fainted and a hundred men broke into a cold perspiration.
"Hands up, everybody!" commanded Andrew Gregory.