st Shirley led Warren to the grill-room where they ordered their
dinner: the supreme test of a gentleman is his taste in the menu for a
discriminating guest. Warren sensed this, as the delicious viands and
rare old wines were brought out in a combination which would have warmed
the heart cockles of the fussiest old gourmon from Goutville!

"Ah, a feast fit for the gods," were his admiring words, as the two men
smiled across this strange board of hospitality. In the midst of
the meal, their chat of student days was interrupted by a page who
approached Shirley.

"Begging your pardon, sir, but I have a note which was left here by
messenger for a gentleman named Mr. R. Warren; your guest, I believe,
sir?"

Warren's face flushed, and his surprise was indubitable. He snatched
the envelope from the boy, who had reached it toward Shirley. The
criminologist was no less in the dark. Warren, with a scant apology,
tore open the missive. It was typewritten! He read it, and his brows
came together with an angry scowl.

He arose from his seat swiftly, turning toward Shirley with a nervous
twitching of the erstwhile firm lips.

"Would you pardon me if I ran? A Wall Street client of mine has suddenly
been stricken with apoplexy. We have deals together, dependent upon
gentlemen's agreements, without a word of writing. It may mean a fortune
to get to him before he loses all power of speech. It is a shame to
spoil, at this time, such a wonderful dinner as I had promised myself
with you. Can you forgive me?"

The man was visibly panic-stricken, although his superb nerve was
fighting hard to cover his terror. Shirley wondered what news could have
fallen into his hand this way. He watched the envelope, hoping that he
would inadvertently drop it. But no such luck! Warren carefully folded
it and put it with the letter into the breast pocket of his coat.

"My dear fellow, business before indigestion, always! I am sorry to have
you go, but we will try again. I will go upstairs with you. Shall I call
a taxicab for you?"

Warren expostulated, but the host followed him to the check room. Unseen
by Warren, Shirley inserted a handkerchief from his own pocket into the
overcoat pocket of the other with a sleight-of-hand substitution, in the
withdrawal of the guest's small linen square!

Warren rushed to the door. He sprang into the first taxicab that came
along, and disappeared. Shirley watched the car as it raced away and
noticed its number.