ravagantly he
expressed himself. "Can't we have a drink?" he suggested, in the
indulgent tone of one humouring a fractious child.

"Drink--with you!" fumed Kelly.

Kieff smiled again. "Of course you will drink with me! It's too
good an excuse to miss. What is troubling you? Surely there is
nothing very unusual in the fact that Mrs. Burke finds herself in
need of a little change!"

Kelly groaned aloud. "I've got to go and tell Burke. That's the
hell of it. Sure I'd give all the money I can lay hands on to be
quit of that job."

"You are over-sensitive," remarked Kieff, showing a gleam of teeth
between his colourless lips. "He will think far less of this than
of disease in his cattle or crops. They were nothing to each
other, nor ever could be. She and Guy Ranger have been lovers all
through."

"Ah, faith then, I know better!" broke in Kelly. "He worships her
from the crown of her head to the sole of her foot. He'll be fit
to kill young Guy for this. By the saints above us, I could almost
kill him myself."

"You needn't!" said Kieff with ironical humour. "And Burke needn't
either. As for the woman--" he snapped his fingers again--"she'll
come back like a homing dove, if he waits a little."

Kelly swore again furiously. "Ah, why did I ever lend myself to
digging young Guy out of Hoffstein's? Only a blasted fool could
have expected to bring anything but corruption out of that sink of
evil. It was Burke's own doing, but I was a fool--I was a three
times fool--to give in to him."

"Where is the worthy Burke?" questioned Kieff, "Over at Merston's,
doing the good Samaritan; been working like a nigger all day. And
now!" There was actually a sound of tears in Kelly's voice. "I'd
give me right hand," he vowed tremulously, "I'd give me soul--such
as it is--to be out of this job."

"You want a drink," said Kieff.

Kelly sniffed and began a clumsy search for refreshment.

Kieff came forward kindly and helped him. It was he who measured
the drinks finally when they were produced, and even Kelly, who
could stand a good deal, opened his eyes somewhat at the draught he
prepared for himself.

"Dry weather!" remarked Kieff, as he tossed it down. "You're not
going back to Merston's to-night, are you?"

"Must," said Kelly laconically.

"Why not wait till the morning?" suggested Kieff. "I shall be
passing that way myself then. We could go together."

There was a gleam in his black eyes that made