abbed his hat and started for
the door. "What I'm interested in is the rescue of Miss Searle, if you
must know; and that's going to happen before long, or I miss my guess."
He paused at the open door. "If we get her, we get the necklace, of
course--and the Lord knows you'll be welcome to that. Would you mind
turning out the lights before you go?"

"Staff!"

Her tone was so peremptory that he hesitated an unwelcome moment
longer.

"Well?" he asked civilly, wondering what on earth she had found to fly
into such a beastly rage about.

"You know what this means?"

"You tell me," he smiled.

"It means the break; I won't play _A Single Woman_!" she snapped.

"That's the best guess you've made yet," he laughed. "You win. Good
night and--good-bye."

XVI

NINETY MINUTES

Commandeering Alison's taxicab with the promise of an extra tip, Staff
jumped in and shut the door. As they swung into Fourth Avenue, he caught
a glimpse of Ismay's slight figure standing on the corner, his pose
expressive of indecision and uncertainty; and Staff smiled to himself,
surmising that it was there that the thief had left his motor-car to be
confiscated by Iff.

Three blocks north on Fourth Avenue, and they swung west into
Thirty-third Street: a short course quickly covered, but yet not swiftly
enough to outpace Staff's impatience. He had the door open, his foot on
the step, before the taxicab had begun to slow down preparatory to
stopping beside the car waiting in the shadow of the big hotel.

Iff was in the tonneau, gesticulating impatiently; the chauffeur had
already cranked up and was sliding into his seat. As the taxicab rolled
alongside, Staff jumped, thrust double the amount registered by the
meter into the driver's hand, and sprang into the body of Ismay's car.
Iff snapped the door shut; as though set in motion by that sharp sound,
the machine began to move smoothly and smartly, gathering momentum with
every revolution of its wheels. They were crossing Madison almost before
Staff had settled into his seat. A moment later they were snoring up
Fifth Avenue.

Staff looked at his watch. "Ten," he told Iff.

"We'll make time once we get clear of this island," said the little man
anxiously; "we've got to."

"Why?"

"To beat Ismay--"

Staff checked him with a hand on his arm and a warning glance at the
back of the chauffeur's head.

"Oh, that's all right _now_," Iff told him placidly. "I thought we
might 's well und