"It doesn't hurt it any," said the woman, indifferently.

"I know that. But it's a curious thing just the same."

The woman raised her shoulders slightly, and began to put away the stock
she had taken out for Orme's benefit.

"Who paid this to you?" persisted Orme.

"How should I remember? I can't keep track of all the persons that come
in the store during the day."

"But I should think that anything so queer as this----" He saw that he
could get nothing from her except by annoying her.

The woman glared. "What you a botherin' about? Why don't you leave well
enough alone?"

Orme smiled. "Tell me one thing," he said, "do you know a Japanese that
lives hereabouts?"

"Oh," said the woman, "so you're one of the gentlemen he was expectin',
eh? Well, it's the front flat, two flights up."

"Thank you," said Orme. He walked out to the street, whence a backward
glance showed him the woman again concealed in her newspaper.

At one side of the shop he found the entrance to a flight of stairs which
led to the floors above. In the little hallway, just before the narrow
ascent began, was a row of electric buttons and names, and under each of
them a mail-box. "3a" had a card on which was printed:

"Arima, Teacher of Original Kano Jiu-Jitsu."

Should he go boldly up and present himself as a prospective pupil? If
Arima were the one who had so effectively thrown him the night before, he
would certainly remember the man he had thrown and would promptly be on
his guard. Also, the woman in the shop had said, "you are _one_ of the
gentlemen he was expectin'." Others were coming.

Prudence suggested that he conceal himself in an entry across the street
and keep an eye out for the persons who were coming to visit Arima. He
assumed that their coming had something to do with the stolen paper. But
he had no way of knowing who the athlete's guests would be. There might
be no one among them whom he could recognize. And even if he saw them all
go in, how would his own purpose be served by merely watching them? In
time, no doubt, they would all come out again, and one of them would have
the papers in his possession, and Orme would not know which one.

For all he was aware, some of the guests had already arrived. They might
even now be gathering with eager eyes about the unfolded documents. No,
Orme realized that his place was not on the sidewalk. By some means he
must get where he could discover what was going on in t