ing!" he murmured.

He nervously tore open the envelope. It contained some typewritten
sheets, and a slip with writing upon it. George Deaves read the letter
with a perplexed expression, and handed it over to Evan.

"What do you make of that?" he asked.

Evan read: "Received of George Deaves the sum of five thousand dollars
in full payment of the story entitled: 'Simeon Deaves Goes Shopping,'
including all rights. All existing copies of the manuscript enclosed.
Many thanks. The Ikunahkatsi."

"Same old impudence!" said Evan smiling grimly. "This crook is
something of a character it seems. Affects a kind of honesty in his
dealings."

"Oh, he's kept a copy of the story," said George Deaves.

"Possibly. But why should he go to the trouble of making believe that
he has not?--and send a receipt? Criminal psychology is queer. This
is something out of the common that we are up against!"

CHAPTER IX

THE COMPACT IS SMASHED

Evan spent the afternoon walking about with Simeon Deaves. The old man
was an indefatigable pedestrian. He had no object in his wanderings,
but loved to poke into the oddest and most out-of-the-way corners of
the town. They were not followed to-day so far as Evan could tell. At
first Simeon Deaves was uneasy and suspicious of his body-guard, but
finding that Evan took everything calmly for granted, he unbent and
became loquacious. All his talk was on the same subject: how to get
along in the world, i.e. how to make money.

Evan having taken him home at last, sank into the seat of a bus with
relief. "Anyhow it will be good for my health," he thought.

Before going home he called at the studio of a friend, a member of the
Barbizon Club, and without taking him entirely into his confidence,
enlisted his aid in investigating the actions and habits of the men on
Hassell's list. It may be said here, that nothing came of this.

Evan and Charley met for the evening meal. The irrepressible Charley
was still singing about the red-haired girl. In spite of his boasts it
appeared that his advances had consistently been turned down. Evan
took a little comfort from this. Sullenness was unknown to the gay
Charley and he was not a whit less optimistic because of his set-backs.

"You don't want a girl to be too come-on-ish," he said. "A
highty-tighty manner adds zest to the game. They don't expect to be
taken seriously when they turn you down, bless your heart, no. Why, if
I let tha