out. "I never
saw you before."

"Nor I you," replied Orme.

"Then how do I know that you are Mr. Orme? You may be the very chap I was
to keep out, far as I know."

"Sure enough, I may be," said Orme dryly, adding--"But I am not. Now go."

The detective narrowed his eyebrows. "Not without identification."

"Ask the night-clerk," exclaimed Orme impatiently. "Can't you see that I
don't wish to be bothered any longer?"

He went over to the door and threw it open.

"Come," he continued. "Well, here then"--as the detective did not
move--"here's my card. That ought to do you."

He took a card from his pocket-case and offered it to the detective, who,
after scrutinizing it for a moment, let it fall to the floor.

"Oh, it's all right, I guess," he said. "But what shall I say to the
chief?"

"Simply say that I didn't need you any longer."

The detective picked up his hat and went.

"Thank Heaven!" exclaimed Orme as he closed the door. "But I wonder why I
didn't notice his hat. It was lying here in plain sight."

He went to the telephone and spoke to the clerk. "Did you let that
detective into my apartment?" he asked.

"Why, yes, Mr. Orme. He was one of the regular force, and he said that
you wanted him here. I called up the chief's office, and the order was
corroborated. I meant to tell you when you came in, but you passed the
desk just while I was down eating my supper. The elevator-boy let you in,
didn't he?"

"Yes. Never mind, it's all right. Good-night."

But when Orme examined his traveling-bag, he found that someone had
evidently made a search through it. Nothing had been taken, but the
orderly arrangement of his effects had been disturbed. His conclusion was
that Alcatrante had bribed the fellow to go much farther than official
zeal demanded. Doubtless the minister had paid the detective to hunt for
a marked five-dollar bill and make a copy of whatever was written on
it--which would have been quite a safe proceeding for the detective, if
he were not caught at the task. A subtle man, Alcatrante; but no subtler
than the Japanese.

Dismissing the incident from his mind, Orme again made ready to return to
the all-night restaurant. He paused at the door, however, to give the
situation a final analysis. Maku had lost something. After hunting for it
vainly, he had gone to the city directory for information which appeared
to satisfy him. Then what he lost must have been an address. How would he
have been lik