The barrister, who had had his wind knocked out of him, rose to his knees. Then, as the light fell upon the horrified face of Mr. White, he vainly essayed to keep up the pretence of indignation. Once fairly on his feet, he nearly collapsed with laughter. He leaned against the wall, and, as his breath came again, he laughed until his sides ached. Meanwhile the detective was crimson with rage and annoyance. His two assistants did not know what to make of the affair. "What's wrong, Jim?" said one at last. "Isn't this Corbett?" "No, of course it's not," was his angry growl. "Then who the ---- is it?" "Oh, ask me another! How on earth could I guess, Mr. Bruce, that you'd come letting yourself in here with a latchkey?" Claude was still holding his sore ribs and could not answer; but the policeman who had questioned White caught the name. He recognized it, and grinned at his companion. "What did you want here, anyhow?" snarled the infuriated detective, as he realized that his great _coup_ would be retailed with embellishments through every police station in the metropolis. "I w-wanted you to ar-r-rest me, W-White," roared Claude. "I s-said you would, and you have." "Confound it, how could you know I was here?" "You were sure to wait here for a man who probably will not return for months." "Was I, indeed? Well, you have yourself to blame if you are hurt. I hope my mates did not treat you too badly?" "What?" cried the one who had not yet spoken. "He gave me such a punch on the bread-basket that I've only just recovered my speech." "I think we're about quits," said the other, surveying a torn waistcoat and broken watch-chain. "I shall be black and blue all over to-morrow," said Bruce; "but if you are satisfied I am. Come, Mr. White, bring your friends and we will open a bottle of wine. We all want it. Corbett won't be here to-night. Just now he is in Wyoming." "How do you know?" "By intuition. I am seldom mistaken." "But why didn't you call out just now when you came in?" "I hadn't a chance. You were on me like a thousand of bricks. I must confess that if Corbett were in my shoes he would be a doomed man." White didn't know whether to believe Bruce or not. He was genuinely angry at the incident, but the barrister did not want to convert him into an enemy, and he vaguely felt that a catastrophe was imminent, and a false move by the police might do irretrievable mischief. "Well, inspector," he said, "I must confess that this time you have got the better of me. I did not know you were here. I looked in for the purpose of quietly studying the ground, as it were, and I was never more taken by surprise in my life. Moreover, your plan was a very clever one, in view of the fact that Corbett might return at any moment." The detective became more amiable at this praise from the famous amateur, for Bruce's achievements were well known to his two colleagues. "I suppose you wondered what had happened," he said with a smile.