"Do you suppose I could come up to where you are to-night for a few minutes' talk?" continued the man coolly. "Not unless you have something very important." "What I have is more important to you than to me." De Spain took an instant to decide. "All right," he said impatiently; "come along. Only--" he paused to let the word sink in, "--if this is a game you're springing----" "I'm springing no game," returned the man evenly. "You're liable to be one of the men hurt." "That's fair enough." "Come along, then." "Mr. Jeffries's place is west of the court-house?" "Directly west. Now, I'll tell you just how to get here. Do you hear?" "I'm listening." "Leave Main Street at Rancherio Street. Follow Rancherio north four blocks, turn west into Grant Avenue. Mr. Jeffries's house is on the corner." "I'll find it." "Don't come any other way. If you do, you won't see me." "I'm not afraid of you, Mr. de Spain, and I'll come as you say. There's only one thing I should like to ask. It would be as much as my life is worth to be seen talking to you. And there are other good reasons why I shouldn't like to have it known I _had_ talked to you. Would you mind putting out the lights before I come up--I mean, in the front of the house and in the room where we talk?" "Not in the least. I mean--I am always willing to take a chance against any other man's. But I warn you, come prepared to take care of yourself." "If you will do as I ask, no harm will come to any one." De Spain heard the receiver hung up at the other end of the wire. He signalled the operator hastily, called for his office, asked for Lefever, and, failing to get him, got hold of Bob Scott. To him he explained rapidly what had occurred, and what he wanted. "Get up to Grant and Rancherio, Bob, as quick as the Lord will let you. Come by the back streets. There's a high mulberry hedge at the southwest corner you can get behind. This chap may have been talking for somebody else. Anyway, look the man over when he passes under the arc-light. If it is Sassoon or Gale Morgan, come into Jeffries's house by the rear door. Wait in the kitchen for my call from the living-room, or a shot. I'll arrange for your getting in." Leaving the telephone, de Spain rejoined Nan in the living-room. He told her briefly of the expected visit and explained, laughingly, that his caller had asked to have the lights out and to see him alone.