"Very well; thank you for that much," and he flicked the ashes from his cigar. "Now, I fear that I must leave you. I've a good deal of work to do, and you've opened up a very interesting line of speculation. I assure you that I've passed a very pleasant evening. I hope you've not found it tiresome?" "Quite the contrary," I said heartily. "I've enjoyed myself immensely." "Then I'll ask one last favor. My cab is at the door. I've no further use for it, and I beg you'll drive home in it." I saw that he really wished it. "Why, yes, certainly," I assented. "Thank you," he said. He took me down to the door, called the cab, and shook hands with me warmly. "Good-by, Mr. Lester," he said. "I'm glad of the chance to have met you. I'm not really such a mysterious individual--it's merely a trick of the trade. I hope we'll meet again some time." "So do I," I said, and meant it. I saw him stand for a moment on the curb looking after us as we drove away, then he turned and ran rapidly up the steps of the Elevated. The driver seemed in no hurry to get me home, and I had plenty of time to think over the events of the evening, but I could make nothing of them. What result he had achieved I could not imagine. And yet he had seemed satisfied. As to his theory, I could not but admit that it was an adroit one; even a masterly one--a better one, certainly, than I should have evolved unaided. The cab drew up at my lodging and I sprang out, tipped the driver, and ran up the steps to the door. My landlady met me on the threshold. "Oh, Mr. Lester!" she cried. "Such a time as I've had this night! Every five minutes there's been somebody here looking for you, and there's a crowd of them up in your room now. I tried to put them out, but they wouldn't go!" CHAPTER VI Godfrey's Panegyric I was quite dazed for the moment. "A crowd of them in my room!" I repeated. "A crowd of whom, Mrs. Fitch?" "A crowd of reporters! They've been worrying my life out. They seemed to think I had you hid somewhere. I hope you're not in trouble, Mr. Lester?" "Not the least in the world, my dear madam," I laughed, and I breathed a long sigh of relief, for I had feared I know not what disaster. "I'll soon finish with the reporters," and I went on up the stair.