She fished in her bag and produced a little gold case. She opened it and took out a cigarette. “You won’t have one, of course?” “Not one of yours, Kate,” he said reproachfully. “No, I’ll have one of my own if you don’t mind.” “I think you are very rude,” she said with a lift of her brows. “It’s better to be rudely awake than politely asleep,” he said meaningly. “When one has to deal with clever criminals one has to take all sorts of precautions.” She laughed and looked at him curiously. “I wonder what made you a policeman?” “Nature,” he said promptly. She was puzzled. “I don’t quite get your humor,” she said. “Nature provides all things with some form of protection. It gives the oyster its shell and the tiger its stripes. It gives the squid his ink-sack and the shark his teeth. Nature always produces antidotes. When criminals are stupid they have stupid policemen to deal with them. When criminals are extraordinarily clever, Nature provides the police force with an officer of unusual intelligence. I came to the police in blind obedience to the laws of Nature.” She laughed softly in his face. “It’s so nice to be able to discuss things with a man of sensibility,” she said. “Of course, some of my friends are awfully clever and uncle is very philosophical, but then they all take a very one-sided view of things, and I think it’s so much better to hear the other side of every question. You can get two views on all subjects except crime,” she went on. “If you believe in Darwin’s theory you can meet hosts of clever people who bitterly oppose it. If you are a Christian Scientist you can meet hosts of Theosophists. Even if you are a firm believer in monogamy you can generally hire a Mormon to argue on the other side. It is only when we come down to crime that you meet the truly insular view, held by people who know nothing whatever about its finesse, or the genius necessary to break the laws without leaving a big hole to show where you went in and another to show where you came out. That is why I like you, Mike,” she said frankly. “Any appreciation is very gratifying to me,” said Michael, “but that which is so enthusiastic that it leads my admirer to break into my flat to ravish my secret thoughts, is a little overwhelming.” “I wanted to know what you were saying about me,” she said, “though I ought to have known that you would not leave things about for me to read--still,” she justified herself, “to do myself justice, I did not expect to find your confidential reports on your desk.” There was a big safe in one corner of the room. “I was going to open that.” She nodded toward the strong-box. “You saw me the other night,” she turned the conversation suddenly. “At Sebo’s--yes,” he said, “I saw you.” “What did you think?” she asked quietly. “I thought you were with the loquacious Mr. Boltover for a special reason of your own,” he said slowly.