at do you think of that?" he drew out with a long breath.

"I haven't begun to think yet," Gladwin managed to stammer. "I'm in no
condition to think. I'm stunned."

"And you've travelled all over the universe in search of a thrill, eh?
Now you've got one you don't know what to do with it."

While Gladwin was groping for a reply to this thrust Bateato breezed
in with a swift sidelong rush, carrying a bulging portmanteau.

"Bag all packed, sair," announced the little Jap, standing at
attention.

"Take it back. I'm not going now," said Gladwin, gruffly. Bateato's
entrance had nipped another idea in the bud.

"You no go?" said the Jap, in surprise.

"No go--take back--unpack."

"Ees, sair; 'scuse me," and Bateato started off with his usual
noiseless rush.

"Hold on," Gladwin checked him. "Wait a minute. Don't unpack it. Leave
it in the hall. I may want it at a minute's notice."

"Ees, sair," and the wondering valet steamed out into the hallway and
vanished.

"What are you going to do now?" asked Barnes, lighting a cigarette and
offering one to his friend.

Gladwin took a turn about the room, puffing nervously at the
cigarette. Coming to a sudden stop he faced Barnes and reeled off in a
quick volley:

"I'm going to marry that girl! I've been all over the world, seen all
kinds of 'em, and right here in my own house I find the one--the only
one, on the verge of eloping with a bogus me. But I'm going to expose
that man whoever he is--I'm going to rescue her from him."

"For yourself?"

"Yes, for myself, and I'm going to put him where he can never annoy
her any more."

"How the deuce are you going to do all this?" asked Barnes, planking
himself down into a chair.

"I don't know," said the other, "but I'm going to move the whole
Western Hemisphere to do it, if necessary."

"Rather a large contract," drawled Barnes. "But I say, Travers, if
that fellow is going to steal your pictures it sort of sizes up as a
case for the police."

"Of course," agreed Gladwin. "I was just thinking of that. Where's
that man of mine? Bateato! Bateato!"

Bateato responded with the swift obedience of a jinn rising from a
miraculous bottle.

"Ees, sair," and the little son of Nippon stood stiffly at attention.
"Ladies run off in autbile," he volunteered as his master hesitated.

"Never mind that--I want you to find a policeman," commanded Gladwin.

"Pleesman--where I find him?" asked Bateato in alarm, recalling his
uncomfo