Arriving at the stoop of his home he reconnoitered the avenue in both directions and then looked up at the black windows of the house. A sudden lull had come upon the neighborhood and there seemed not a soul stirring. He sped lightly up the stoop and let himself in. He was surprised to find the lights burning brilliantly in the drawing-room and no sign of Barnes. The heavy curtains, he saw, were carefully arranged to prevent the merest ray of light from showing outside. He took the further precaution, however, of turning off all but the single globe in one lamp. He speculated on the disappearance of Barnes until he heard a stealthy step approaching through the corridor that led to the kitchen. Without noise he glided to the window and concealed himself behind the curtains. He had scarcely hidden himself when the hinged panel that answered for a door opened slowly and the countenance of Michael Phelan protruded itself into the room. The Phelan shoulders and embonpoint, still in negligee, followed. Taking a cautious step forward he uttered behind his hand: "Pst! Pst! Hey, youse there!" There was no answer, and Phelan worked his head round like a wary weazel, muttering: "Who was that woman, I wonder? She must have took that Slim Jim away with her. Musha! Musha! If they should call the police. Bad cess to that feller an' his five hundred dollar bill. Murther! Murther! I'm done fer!" Travers Gladwin had stepped out of the folds of the curtain. "Hey, there!" he blurted. "What are youse up to?" "Howly Saint Pathrick! I'm gone now, sure!" groaned Phelan, and trembled where he stood. "Come, come, Officer 666," laughed Gladwin, "I'm only your ghost." Phelan exhaled a tremendous sigh of relief. "The Lord be praised if it ain't yez!" he exclaimed, delightedly. "But where did ye get that disguise?" "At a hair store--Madam Flynn's on Avenue A--do you like it?" laughed the young man. "I didn't want any of my friends or neighbors to recognize me, you know." "But fer the love o' heaven where have yez been all the time?" asked Phelan, sinking into a chair and breathing hard. "Patrolling my beat--I mean your beat," returned the young man, "and keeping my eye out for my friend the burglar. Oh, I've had quite a party. When I got hungry I sent to the Plaza for lunch and sat on the park wall and ate it. And, by the way, I saw a friend of mine coming along in an automobile and I arrested him for speeding." "What!" Phelan exploded, jumping to his feet and turning white as his boiled shirt. "Yes, nabbed him for breaking the speed limit," Gladwin nodded, leaning back against a table and lighting a cigarette. "Fer, fer, fer breakin' the speed limit; fer, fer--yez made an arrest?" "Exactly! He was going so slow he deserved to be arrested, and what's more, he was making love to a pretty girl without shame. I got in and told him to drive me to the station." Phelan threw up his hands with a groan. "An' did yez take him to the station?"