nched around the key that fitted. Nor did he take the
little closed fist out of his coat pocket until he and I were alone
together in my office, from whence he departed two dollars richer than
he had entered.

Jimmie having been retired from duty, Blythe took his place in watching
Bothwell. He engaged a room on the fourth floor of the Argonaut, from
which he was able to observe the coming and going of the enemy.

My work at the office finished, I took a car for the Graymount, followed
as usual by one of the detectives that for days had dogged me. My
attendant on this occasion was a shrimp of a man with a very wrinkled
face and a shock of red hair. Some imp of deviltry in me moved me to
change my seat for one beside his.

"A pleasant day," I suggested to open the conversation.

He agreed that it was.

"I suppose your kind of work is always more cheerful in good weather," I
went on.

"My kind of work!" Plainly he was disconcerted at my remark.

"Yes. Must be devilish unpleasant shadowing a man in cold weather.
Don't you have to wait outside houses sometimes for hours at a stretch?"

The palm of his hand rasped a stubbly chin as he looked askance at me.

"Why--er--I don't know what you mean."

"Don't you?" I laughed in his face. "Come now, let's put aside the
little fiction that I'm not wise to your game. I'm not at all annoyed at
the attentions you pay me. It's entirely a matter of business with you.
I suppose I'm good for about five dollars a day to you. Faith, that's
more than I've ever been able to earn for myself. Sorry I'm leaving
these parts soon--on your account."

He did not at all know how to take me, but he earnestly assured me that
I was quite mistaken. He was a carpenter by trade.

"Why not make it as easy for you as we can?" I chuckled. "Come in to the
Graymount and have dinner with me. Our cafe isn't what it should be, but
it will pass at a pinch. What do you say?"

He said that I was making game of him.

"Not at all," I assured him. "I'm merely trying to lighten the load of
honest labor. Well, if you won't, you won't. After dinner I'm going to
my rooms to smoke a cigar. About nine--or somewhere near that time--I'll
be going out for an hour. Are your instructions to follow me?"

"You're all wrong about me, sir. I don't know any more than a rabbit
what you are talking about."

"I was only going to say that if you care to go I'll try to arrange for
another place at our little party."

He w