vices in the building and settled over everything
in the room; myriad flies droned in the white sunlight before the open
door. He heard nothing, felt nothing, saw nothing--for his thoughts were
miles away, in an upper story of a big office building in the East from
whose windows he even now looked down upon a bustling city.

Life would be so different here. He heard a sound behind him and turned.
Dunlavey was standing just inside the door, his great arms folded over
his chest. He had been watching Hollis, his eyes narrowed with a
cynically humorous expression.

Hollis knew that by this time Dunlavey must have discovered his
identity. He swung slowly around in his chair, his face wearing an
expression of whimsical amusement as he greeted his victim of a few days
previous.

"Welcome to the _Kicker_ office," he said quietly.

Dunlavey did not move. Evidently he had expected another sort of
greeting and was slightly puzzled over Hollis's manner. He remained
motionless and Hollis had an opportunity to study him carefully and
thoroughly. His conclusions were brief and comprehensive. They were
expressed tersely to himself as he waited for Dunlavey to speak: "A
trickster and a cheat--dangerous."

Dunlavey's eyes flashed metallically for an instant, but immediately the
humorous cynicism came into them again. "I don't think you mean all of
that," he said evenly.

Hollis laughed. "I am not in the habit of saying things that I do not
mean," he said quietly. "I am here to do business and I am ready to talk
to anybody who wants to do business with me."

Dunlavey's hands fell to his sides and were shoved into his capacious
trousers' pockets. "Right," he said tersely: "that's what I'm here
for--to talk business."

He pulled a chair over close to Hollis and seated himself in it, moving
deliberately, a certain grim reserve in his manner. Hollis watched him,
marveling at his self-control. He reflected that it required will power
of a rare sort to repress or conceal the rage which he surely must feel
over his humiliation of two weeks before. That Dunlavey was able to so
mask his feelings convinced Hollis that he had to deal with a man of
extraordinary character.

"I recollect meeting you the other day," said Dunlavey after he had
become seated. He smiled with his lips, his eyes glittering again. "I'll
say that we got acquainted then. There ain't no need for us to shake
hands now." He showed his teeth in a mirthless grin. "I didn