ibly another hundred, could be earned as easily,"
he said, with assumed carelessness. "I may add that this will not be
offered again, and... that you will shortly be out of employment, with
worse to follow."

Soames began to exhibit signs of collapse.

"Oh, my God!" he muttered, "what shall I do? I can't promise--I can't
promise; but I might--I MIGHT look in at the 'Three Nuns' on Friday
evening about nine o'clock."...

He hastily scooped up M. Max's belongings, thrust them into the handbag
and closed it. M. Max was now fully dressed and ready to depart. He
placed a sovereign in the valet's ready palm.

"That's an appointment," he said softly.

Said entered and stood bowing in the doorway.

"Good morning, sir, good morning," muttered Soames, and covertly he
wiped the perspiration from his brow with the corner of a towel--"good
morning, and thank you very much."

M. Max, buttoning his light overcoat in order to conceal the fact that
he wore evening dress, entered the corridor, and followed the Egyptian
into the cave of the golden dragon. Ho-Pin, sleek and smiling, received
him there. Ho-Pin was smoking the inevitable cigarette in the long tube,
and, opening the door, he silently led the way up the steps into the
covered courtyard, Said following with the hand bag. The limousine stood
there, dimly visible in the darkness. Said placed the handbag upon the
seat inside, and Ho-Pin assisted M. Max to enter, closing the door
upon him, but leaning through the open window to shake his hand. The
Chinaman's hand was icily cold and limp.

"Au wrevoir, my dear fwriend," he said in his metallic voice. "I hope to
have the pleasure of gwreeting you again vewry shortly."

With that he pulled up the window from the outside, and the occupant
of the limousine found himself in impenetrable darkness; for dark blue
blinds covered all the windows. He lay back, endeavoring to determine
what should be his next move. The car started with a perfect action, and
without the slightest jolt or jar. By reason of the light which suddenly
shone in through the chinks of the blinds, he knew that he was outside
the covered courtyard; then he became aware that a sharp turning had
been taken to the left, followed almost immediately, by one to the
right.

He directed his attention to the blinds.

"Ah! nom d'un nom! they are clever--these!"

The blinds worked in little vertical grooves and had each a tiny lock.
The blinds covering the glass doors