rly hour of the morning."

"And I hate a fresh guy," put in Max, "like poison."

"I'm not fresh," Mr. Magee smiled, "I'm stating facts. You say you've
come for that package. All right--but you've come to the wrong room. I
haven't got it."

"The hell you haven't," roared the mayor. "Lou, look about a bit."

"Look about all you like," agreed Magee. "You won't find it. Mr. Cargan,
I admit that I laid for you last night. I saw you open the safe
according to the latest approved methods, and I saw you come forth with
a package of money. But I wasn't rough with you. I might have been, to
be frank, but somebody beat me to it."

"Who?"

"The man with the seventh key, I suppose. The man Bland heard walking
about last night when we were at dinner. Don't tell me you didn't see
him in that mix-up at the foot of the steps?"

"Well--I did think there was another guy," the mayor answered, "but Lou
said I was crazy."

"Lou does you an injustice. There was another guy, and if you are
anxious to recover your precious package, I advise you to wake him up to
the responsibilities of the day, not me."

The mayor considered. Mr. Max, who had hastily made the rounds of the
three rooms, came back with empty hands.

"Well," said the mayor, "I might as well admit it. I'm up in the air. I
don't know just at this minute where to get off. But that state of
affairs don't last long with me, young fellow. I'll go to the bottom of
this before the day is out, believe me. And if I can't do anything else,
I'll take you back to Reuton myself and throw you in jail for robbery."

"I wouldn't do that," smiled Magee. "Think of the awful job of
explaining to the white necktie crowd how you happened to be dynamiting
a safe on Baldpate Mountain at midnight."

"Oh, I guess I can get around that," said the mayor. "That money belongs
to a friend of mine--Andy Rutter. I happen to go to the inn for a little
rest, and I grab you dynamiting the safe. I'll keep an eye on you
to-day, Mr. Magee. And let me tell you now that if I catch you or any of
the bunch that's with you trying to make a getaway from Baldpate,
there's going to be a war break out."

"I don't know about the other hermits," laughed Magee, "but personally,
I expect to be here for several weeks to come. Whew! It's cold in here.
Where's the hermit? Why hasn't he been up to fix my fire?"

"Yes, where is he?" repeated Mr. Cargan. "That's what everybody'd like
to know. He hasn't showed up. Not a s