Under the stimulus of the champagne, to say naught of his relief at having evaded the ordeal of the cutlery, Hickey discoursed variously and at length upon the engrossing subject of Anisty, gentleman-cracksman, while the genial counterpart of Daniel Maitland listened with apparent but deceptive apathy, and had much ado to keep from laughing in his guest's face as the latter, perspiringly earnest, unfolded his plans for laying the burglar by the heels. From time to time, and at intervals steadily decreasing, the hand of the host sought the neck of the bottle, inclining it carefully above the thin-stemmed glass that Hickey kept in almost constant motion. And the detective's fatuous loquacity flowed as the contents of the bottle ebbed. Yet, as the minutes wore on, the burglar began to be conscious that it was but a shallow well of information and amusement that he pumped. The game, fascinating with its spice of daring as it had primarily been, began to pall. At length the masquerader calculated the hour as ripe for what he had contemplated from the beginning; and interrupted Hickey with scant consideration, in the middle of a most interesting exposition. "You'll pardon me, I'm sure, if I trouble you again for the time." The fat red fingers sought uncertainly for the timepiece: the bottle was now empty. The hour, as announced, was ten minutes to two. "I've an engagement," invented Anisty plausibly, "with a friend at two. If you'll excuse me----? _Garçon, l'addition!_" "Then I und'stand, Mister Maitland, we e'n count on yeh?" Anisty, eyelids drooping, tipped back his chair a trifle and regarded Hickey with a fair imitation of the whimsical Maitland smile. "Hardly, I think." "Why not?"--truculently. "To be frank with you, I have three excellent reasons. The first should be sufficient: I'm too lazy." Disgruntled, Hickey stared and shook a disapproving head. "I was afraid of that; yeh swells don't never seem to think nothin' of yer duties to soci'ty." Anisty airily waved the indictment aside. "Moreover, I have lost nothing. You see, I happened in just at the right moment; our criminal friend got nothing for his pains. The jewels are safe. Reason Number Two: Having retained my property, I hold no grudge against Anisty." "Well--I dunno--" "And as for reason Number Three: I don't care to have this affair advertised. If the papers get hold of it they'll cook up a lot of silly details that'll excite the cupidity of every thief in the country, and make me more trouble than I care to--ah--contemplate." Hickey's eyes glistened. "Of course, if yeh want it kept quiet--" he suggested significantly. Anisty's hand sought his pocket. "How much?" "Well, I guess I can leave that to you. Yeh oughttuh know how bad yeh want the matter hushed." "As I calculate it, then, fifty ought to be enough for the boys; and fifty will repay you for your trouble."