-set, broad-faced man who was doubtless the
long-overdue detective; a professional-appearing gentleman with a
black bag, obviously the house-physician; and the policeman that I had
summoned from his stroll below. The latter, in an excited brogue, was
recounting his late vision of the thief, "hangin' between hivin and
earth, no less," while the detective scornfully accused him of having
been asleep or jingled, on the ground of my late telephone to the effect
that I was holding the man.

The manager, as was natural, took the initiative, bustling past me into
my room and peering eagerly around.

"I needn't say, Mr. Bayne," he orated fluently, "how sorry I am that
this has happened--especially beneath our roof. It is our first case,
I assure you, of anything so regrettable. If it gets into the papers it
won't do us any good. Now the important thing is to take the fellow
out by the rear without courting notice. Why, where is he?" he asked
hopefully. "Surely he isn't gone?"

"Sure, and didn't I tell ye? 'Tis without eyes ye think me!" The
policeman was resentful, and so, to tell the truth, was I. The whole
maddening affair seemed bent on turning to farce at every angle; the
doctor, as a final straw, had just offered _sotto voce_ to mix me a
soothing draft!

"Gone! Of course he's gone, man!" I exclaimed with some natural temper.
"Did you expect him to sit here waiting all this time? What on earth
have you been doing--reading the papers--playing bridge? A dozen thieves
could have escaped since I telephoned downstairs!"

"But you said," he murmured, apparently dazed, "that you could hold
him." A tactless remark, which failed to assuage my wrath!

"So I could," I responded savagely. "But I didn't expect him to turn
into a conjuring trick, which is what he did. He went out that window
head foremost, down the ladder, and into the room below. Let's be after
him--though we stand as much chance of catching him as we do of finding
the King of England!" and I turned toward the doorway, where the
manager, the doctor and the detective were massed.

The manager put his hand upon my arm. I looked down at it with raised
eyebrows, and he took it away.

"Excuse me, sir," he said, adopting a manner of appeal, "but if you'll
reflect for a moment you'll see how it is, I know. People don't care for
houses where burglars fly in and out of windows; it makes them nervous;
you wouldn't believe how easily a hotel can get a bad name and lose it