"Not a notion. Not a theory." He shook his head, eyes on the traffic cop. "That's your part." I sat there somewhat flabbergasted. After all, I hadn't fully believed that the boy had absolutely nothing to go on, that he had bought purely at a whim, put up eight hundred thousand dollars on my skill at running down a criminal. It sort of crumpled me up. I said so. He laughed a little, ran up to the curb at the Phelan building, cut out the engine, set the brake and turned to me with, "Don't worry. I'm getting what I paid for--or what I'm going to pay for. And I've got to go right after the money. Suppose I meet you, say, at ten o'clock to-night?" "Suits me." "At Tait's. Reserve a table, will you, and we'll have supper." "You're on," I said. "And plenty to do myself meantime." I hopped out on my side. Worth sat in the roadster, not hurrying himself to follow up Cummings' suggestion--the big boy, non-communicative, incurious, the question of fortune lost or won seeming not to trouble him at all. I skirted the machine and came round to him, demanding, "With whom do you suppose Cummings' engagement was?" "Don't know, Jerry, and don't care," looking down at me serenely. "Why should I?" He swung one long leg free and stopped idly, half in the car, half out. "What if I told you Cummings' engagement was with our friend Dykeman--only Dykeman doesn't know it yet?" Slowly he brought that dangling foot down to the pavement, followed it with the other, and faced me. Across the blankness of his features shot a joyous gleam; it spread, brightening till he was radiant. "I get you!" he chortled. "Collusion! They think I'm standing in with Clayte--Oh, boy!" He threw back his head and roared. CHAPTER III A WEDDING PARTY I looked at my watch; quarter of ten; a little ahead of my appointment. I ordered a telephone extension brought to this corner table I had reserved at Tait's and got in touch with my office; then with the knowledge that any new kink in the case would be reported immediately to me, I relaxed to watch the early supper crowd arrive: Women in picture hats and bare or half-bare shoulders with rich wraps slipping off them; hum of voices; the clatter of silver and china; waiters beginning to wake up and dart about settling new arrivals. And I wondered idly what sort of party would come to sit around one long table across from me specially decorated with pale tinted flowers.