which confirmed the men in their suspicion, "that you think this
description applies to _me_?"

"I wouldn't insinivate too much, sir, though I have got my suspicions,"
said Redhair blandly; "but of course that's easy settled, for if your
father's 'ouse is anyw'ere hereabouts, your father won't object to
identify his son."

"Ridiculous!" exclaimed Miles, rising angrily at this interruption to
his plans. The two men rose promptly at the same moment. "Of course my
father will prove that you have made a mistake, but--"

He hesitated in some confusion, for the idea of re-appearing before his
father so soon, and in such company, after so stoutly asserting that he
would _never_ more return, was humiliating. The detective observed the
hesitation and became jocose.

"If you'd rather not trouble your parent," said Redhair, "you've got no
call to do it. The station ain't far off, and the sooner we get there
the better for all parties."

A slight clink of metal at this point made Miles aware of the fact that
Hook-nose was drawing a pair of handcuffs from one of his pockets.

The full significance of his position suddenly burst upon him. The
thought of being led home a prisoner, or conveyed to the police-station
handcuffed, maddened him; and the idea of being thus unjustly checked at
the very outset of his independent career made him furious. For a few
moments he stood so perfectly still and quiet that the detectives were
thrown slightly off their guard. Then there was an explosion of some
sort within the breast of Miles Milton. It expended itself in a sudden
impulse, which sent Redhead flat on the table among the crockery, and
drove Hook-nose into the fireplace among the fire-irons. A fat little
man chanced to be standing in the door-way. The same impulse, modified,
shot that little man into the street like a cork out of a bottle, and
next moment Miles was flying along the pavement at racing speed,
horrified at what he had done, but utterly reckless as to what might
follow!

Hearing the shouts of pursuers behind him, and being incommoded by
passers-by in the crowded thoroughfare, Miles turned sharply into a
by-street, and would have easily made his escape--being uncommonly swift
of foot--had he not been observed by an active little man of supple
frame and presumptuous tendencies. Unlike the mass of mankind around
him--who stared and wondered--the active little man took in the
situation at a glance, joined in the