ers. "Would you rather do the
job by your lones, or shall my man show you the way? I suppose you
don't mind us going on with our supper if I spare you Sims and we help
ourselves to food?"

"You can stay where you are," was the answer.

"Thanks. But when you're satisfied that a mosquito or so's the only
live stock on the premises, I should like you both to crack a bottle
of champagne with us."

"It wouldn't be quite in order---"

"Hang order! The police and I are pals. Now you'll do me proud if
you'll look in on your way out. Bring the girl, if you find her!" And
Logan laughed at his own joke.

"Don't think I've let you in for anything!" he turned to Rolls as the
door shut. "They'll find no one, for the good reason that there's no
one to find. All the same, I should have been in a mess if you hadn't
come right along like a brick and helped me out."

"I don't quite see yet how I have helped you," rather dryly remarked
Petro.

"But I guess you're guessing."

"If I've guessed right, I'm not enjoying the joke."

"Then maybe you _haven't_ guessed right! Give me the benefit of the
doubt till those good men and true are the other side of the front
door, will you? I'm as rattled as they make 'em now! Say, this is a
raid, ain't it? Wonder if they've got the Black Maria outside? Can't
you eat any caviar? Wish you would. Well, shall we skip along to the
consomme?"

"I've just got down my dinner," said Rolls, who was guessing too hard
to taste anything with salt in it, in his old classmate's house.

"Well, a little of this champagne cup, anyhow? It's girls' drink, but
not bad this weather, and old Sims is a nailer at mixing---"

"No, thanks, nothing at all."

"You must let me half fill your glass, or those chaps will get onto it
that you're playing dummy!" As he spoke Logan poured champagne cup
into Peter's tall tumbler and his own. The latter he filled with the
ice-cold, sparkling liquid which, as he said, was "girls' drink," and
then, seizing the glass, emptied it in one long draft.

It was he who did most of the talking that whiled away time till the
policemen returned from their tour of the house; and when they opened
the door of the dining-room once more he was eating chicken salad
while Peter crumbled toast.

"I don't see the lady!" Logan exclaimed facetiously, with his mouth
full.

"Neither did we," said the man who had taken the lead.

"Hope you did the thing thoroughly while you were about it! Garret