pping to the rack behind the open door.
"These are your--duds--aren't they? Take 'em and get out. Quick!"

He threw an overcoat and hat at the astonished man-servant, who caught
them mechanically.

"Get!" repeated the captain.

Hapgood apparently understood at last. His usual expression of polite
humility vanished and he glowered malevolently.

"So I'm fired, am I?" he demanded. "Fired, without no notice or nothin'.
'Ow about my two weeks' wages? 'Ow about square treatment? 'Ow about my
things upstairs? I've got rights, I 'ave, and you'll find it out. Blame
your eyes, I--"

He darted through the doorway just in time. Captain Dan was on the
threshold.

"You can send for your things upstairs," said the captain. "They'll be
ready--either up there or on the sidewalk. Now, my--hum--thief," with
deliberate and dangerous calmness, "I'm comin' out into that yard. If I
was you I'd be somewhere else when I get there. That's my advice."

The advice was taken. Mr. Hapgood was in the street by the time his
employer reached the gate. Bolting that gate, Daniel walked back to the
kitchen.

"Thank you, Zuba," he said quietly. "You've only confirmed what I
suspected before, but thank you, just the same."

Azuba was regarding him with a surprise in which respect was strongly
mingled.

"You're welcome," she said drily. "It's good riddance to bad rubbish,
that's what I call it. But," her surprise getting the better of her
judgment, "I must say I ain't seen you behave--I mean--"

She stopped, the judgment returning. But Captain Dan read her thoughts
and answered them.

"He's a man," he said shortly, "or an apology for one. I know how to
deal with a MAN--his kind, anyway."

Azuba nodded. "I should say you did," she observed. "Well, if you'd like
to hear the whole yarn, how I come to suspect him and all, I can tell
you. You see--"

But Daniel would not listen. "I don't want to hear it," he said. "Tell
Serena, if you want to, when she comes home. I've got too much else on
my mind to bother with swabs like him. If he should try to come back
again you can call me, otherwise not. I ain't interested."

And yet, if he could have seen and heard his ex-butler just at that
moment, he might have been interested. Hapgood, on the next corner, out
of sight from the Dott home, had met and waylaid Mr. Percy Hungerford.
To the latter gentleman he was telling the story of his discharge.
Cousin Percy seemed disturbed and angry.

"It's your