ckname.

His smile was the most striking characteristic of his manner. Indeed,
so permanent and pervasive did his smile appear, that it seemed almost
to be a fixed feature of his face.

He came forward to Shock, rubbing his hands.

"Ah, good evening," he said, in a most insinuating voice. "Is there
anything I can do for you?"

"Yes," said Shock, instinctively shrinking from him. "I want to see Mr.
Stanton."

"Mr. Stanton--Mr. Stanton? Let me see. I saw Mr. Stanton some hours
ago. Let me think. Was it at the International? Yes, I think it was the
International. No, in the Royal. I have no doubt you will find him
there. I shall be pleased to show you, for I see you are a stranger. We
are always delighted to see strangers and we try to make them welcome
to our town."

He moved toward the door as he spoke. Shock knew at once he was lying.

"Mr. Stanton is not at the Royal. I have been informed he is in this
building somewhere."

"In this building?" murmured Smiley, in a puzzled tone. "In this
building?" He glanced up at the ceiling as if expecting to see the
missing man there. "Strange," he continued. "Now, I have been here for
some time, for hours, indeed. I am a busy man, Mr.--"

"Macgregor," replied Shock.

"Mr. Macgregor. I find it necessary to pursue my avocation into the
hours we generally devote to slumber. And to-day business has been
unusually interrupted. But I have failed to notice Mr. Stanton enter."

At the further end of the room Shock's eyes fell upon a door, through
the cracks of which a light was shining.

"It is possible," said Shock, "he is in that room," pointing to the
door.

"Hardly, my dear sir, hardly."

But even as he spoke a voice, loud and clear, rang out. "Now, my dear
fellow, go to the deuce. That comes to me."

The reply Shock could not catch.

"I think," he said, turning to Smiley, "we shall find Mr. Stanton in
there."

As he spoke he walked toward the door. But Smiley slipped before him.

"Pardon me, my dear sir, that is a private room--some friends of mine
who would greatly dislike being disturbed. I am exceedingly sorry I
cannot oblige you."

"I must see Mr. Stanton", said Shock, putting his hand upon the door
knob.

"My dear sir," said Simmons, his thin lips drawn back over his yellow
teeth, "I regret to say it is impossible. If Mr. Stanton is in
there--mark me, I say IF he is in there, which is extremely
unlikely--but if he is in there, he would be very unwilli