liteness. "Thank you very much, but I don't want anything. Good
evening!"

"Good evening!" echoed Barnes, with another glance over his shoulder.

Michael Phelan turned purple. He hadn't indulged in the most
exhausting sprint in six months to be made sport of.

"Which one of youse sent for me?" he rasped out.

The two young men pointed to each other, which only served to fan the
flame of Phelan's wrath.

"Is one of youse Mr. Gladwin?" he gurgled.

They repeated the pantomime until Gladwin caught the fire in Phelan's
eye and decided that it would be better to temporize.

"I am Mr. Gladwin," he bowed.

Phelan measured him from the ground up as he filled his lungs for
another outburst.

"Why did yez send for me?" he demanded savagely. "This here little
Japanaze come runnin' wild-eyed down me beat an' says there's two
women been robbin' the house. What's all this monkey business?"

"Bateato is mistaken," said Gladwin, forcing a laugh.

"No, sir!" cried the Jap excitedly. "Ladies run off quick in big
autbile"----

"Now wait--that's enough," Gladwin stopped him.

"You tell me find plece," persisted the Jap, who saw the terrible
wrath of Michael Phelan about to flash upon him.

"That's enough," Gladwin sought to shut him up.

"You say they steal--I go saloon"----

"Don't talk any more! Don't speak again! Go back to the hotel and wait
for me. I'll send for you when I want you. Stop! Not another word."

Bateato gripped his mouth with his fingers and stumbled out of the
room.

Avoiding the still glowering eye of Officer 666, Travers Gladwin
turned to Barnes and attempted to say casually:

"When Bateato gets an idea into his head there is no use arguing with
him. There is only one thing to do--don't let him speak."

The young man started to hum a tune and strolled toward the heavily
curtained window that looked out on Fifth avenue.

CHAPTER XXI.

TRAVERS GLADWIN GOES IN SEARCH OF HIMSELF.

Policeman Michael Phelan was at first undecided whether to pursue the
departing Bateato and arrest him as a suspicious person or to remain
on the scene of mystery and get to the bottom of what was going
forward.

He chose the latter plan upon the inspiration that if he arrested a
millionaire he would get his name in the paper and Rose might read of
it and come to some realization of the immensity of his official
dignity.

He was further urged to this course by the insolent nonchalance of the
two young men