These reflections were interrupted one afternoon by a rap on the study door to which, for the space of several seconds, Eben Tollman did not respond. He was meanwhile doing what an actor does before his dressing-room mirror. Eben Tollman alone with his monomania and Eben Tollman in the company of others were separate personalities and to pass from one to the other called for making up; for schooling of expression and the recovery of a suave exterior. In this process, however, he had from habit acquired celerity, so the delay was not a marked one before, with a decorous face, unstamped of either passion or brooding, he opened the door, to find Conscience waiting at the threshold. "Come in, my dear," he invited. "I must have inadvertently snapped the catch. I didn't know it was locked." "There's a man named Hagan here who wants to see you, Eben," announced Conscience. "He didn't seem inclined to tell me his business beyond saying that it was important." "Hagan, Hagan?" repeated the master of the house with brows drawn in well-simulated perplexity. "I don't seem to recognize the name. Do you know him?" "I never saw him before. Shall I send him in?" "I suppose it might be as well. Some business promoter, I fancy." But as Conscience left, Tollman's scowl returned. "Hagan," he repeated with a soft but wrathful voice to himself. "The blackmailer!" His face bore a somewhat frigid welcome, when almost immediately the manager of the Searchlight Investigation Bureau presented himself. Mr. Hagan had the appearance of one into whose lap the horn of plenty has not been recently or generously tilted, and the clothes he wore, though sprucely tailored, were of another season's fashion. But his manner had lost none of its pristine assurance and he began his interview by laying a hand on the door-knob and suggesting: "The business I want to take up with you, Mr. Tollman, had best be discussed out of hearing of others." Tollman remained unhospitably rigid and his eyes narrowed into an immediate hostility. "Whatever business we may have had, Mr. Hagan," he suggested, "has for some time been concluded, I think." But on this point the visitor seemed to hold a variant opinion. Momentarily his face abandoned its suavity and the lower jaw thrust itself forward with a marked hint of belligerency. "So?" he questioned. "Nonetheless there is business that can be done at the present time in this house. It's for you to say whether I do it with you--or others." Tollman's scowl deepened and the thought presented itself that he had been unwise in ever giving such a dishonest fellow the hold upon him of a prior employment. But he controlled himself and invited curtly, "Very well. Sit down." Mr. Hagan did so, and this time it was Mr. Tollman himself who somewhat hastily closed and latched the door which protected their privacy of interview, while the guest broached his topic.