“Did it ever occur to you boys that it was rather peculiar that this supposed smuggler wasn’t searched--that he got through without the slightest trouble?” “Why, the Chief didn’t want to get in any mix-up with the Harringtons in case he was wrong about Denby,” Gibbs elucidated. “Oh, I see,” Denby remarked, as though the whole thing were now perfectly straightforward. “He told you that, did he?” “He sure did,” Duncan agreed readily. “Don’t you boys see,” Denby said seriously, “that this whole job looks very much as if the scheme was to let Denby slip through and then blackmail him?” “I never thought of that,” Duncan returned. “Me, neither,” the ingenuous Gibbs added. “Wait a minute,” Taylor said irritably. “What’s all this got to do with you? I admit we made a mistake--I’ll take the blame for it--and we’re sorry. We can’t remedy it by talking any more. Come on, boys.” “Wait just a minute,” Denby exclaimed. “Don’t you know,” he went on, addressing himself to the two subordinate officials, “that it’s rather a dangerous thing to monkey with the United States Government? It’s a pretty big thing to fool with. You might have got into serious trouble arresting the wrong man.” “I haven’t been monkeying with the Government,” Gibbs said nervously. All his official carelessness recurred to him vividly. “I wouldn’t do a thing like that.” “Neither have I,” Duncan made eager reply. Taylor took a hand in the conversation. “That’s all settled,” he said, with an air of finality. “We all know Mr. Denby never had a necklace.” “That’s clearly understood, is it?” Denby returned. “What I say is right,” Taylor retorted, and glared at his underlings. “What the Chief says is right,” Gibbs admitted with eagerness. “What the Chief says is wrong,” Denby cried in a different voice. “I did smuggle a necklace in through the Customs to-day. Here it is.” They looked at it in consternation. “What!” they ejaculated. Taylor had owed his safety ere this to rapid thinking. “Then you’re under arrest!” he cried. “Oh, no I’m not,” Denby rejoined, turning to the startled men. “Your chief caught me with the goods and I paid him thirty thousand dollars to square it.” Taylor came at him with upraised fist. “Why, you--” he roared, “I’ll--” Denby seized the clenched fist and thrust it aside. “You won’t,” he said calmly; “you’re only a bully after all, Taylor. You couldn’t graft on your own--you had to drag a girl into it, and you’ve made me do some pretty rotten things to-night to land you. I’ve had to make that girl suffer, but you’ll pay for it. I’ve got you now, and you’re under arrest.” “Aw, quit your bluffing,” Taylor jeered; “you can’t arrest me, Denby.” “The man who’ll arrest you is named Jones,” Denby remarked. “Who the hell is he?” Taylor cried.