t your book and follow me closely," he continued,
dividing the traveling bag into halves, and he began to enumerate the
contents.

"But, Monsieur!" remonstrated the inspector, who did not enjoy this
infringement of his prerogatives; his was the part to overhaul. "This
is--"

"Be still and follow me," and the Englishman went on with the
inventory. "There!" when he had done, "not a dutiable thing except this
German-Scotch whisky, and that is so bad that I give it to you rather
than pay duty. What next? My passports? Here they are, absolutely
flawless, vised by the authorities in Vienna."

The slips crackled in the fluttering fingers of the inspector. "They
are as you say, Monsieur," he said, returning the permits. Then he added
timidly, "And the gun cases?"

"The gun cases!" The pipe spilled its coal to the floor. "The gun
cases!"

"Yes, Monsieur."

"And why do you wish to look into them?" with agitation.

"Smugglers sometimes fill them with cigars."

"Ah!" The Englishman selected two loaded shells, drew a gun from the
case, threw up the breech and rammed in the shells. Then he extended
the weapon to within an inch of the terrified inspector's nose. "Now,
Monsieur the Spectacles, look in there and tell me what you see."

The fellow sank half-fainting into a chair. "Mon Dieu, Monsieur, would
you kill me who have a family?"

"What's a customs inspector, more or less?" asked the terrible islander,
laughing. "I advise you not to ask me to let you look into the other
gun, out of consideration for your family. It has hair triggers, and my
fingers tremble."

"Monsieur, Monsieur, you do wrong to trifle with the law. I shall be
obliged to report you. You will be arrested."

"Nothing of the kind," was the retort. "I have only to inform the
British minister how remiss you were in your obligations. I should go
free, whereas you would be discharged. But what I demand to know is,
what the devil is the meaning of this farce."

"I am simply obeying orders," answered the inspector, wiping his
forehead. "It is not a farce, as Monsieur will find." Then, as if to
excuse this implied threat: "Will Monsieur please point the gun the
other way?"

The Englishman unloaded the gun and tossed it on the bed.

"Thanks. In coming here I simply obeyed the orders of the minister of
police."

"And what in the world did you expect to find?"

"We are looking--that is, they are looking--O, Monsieur, it is
impossible for me to disclose