on, those two!"

"Come," whispered Renoux.

Soane, unsteady of leg and talkative, was now making for Third Avenue
beside Freund, who had taken him by the arm, in hopes, apparently, of
steadying them both.

As Renoux and Barres followed, the latter cautiously requested any
instructions which Renoux might think fit to give.

Renoux said in his cool, agreeable voice:

"You know it's rather unusual for an officer to bother personally with
this sort of thing. But my people--even the renegade Germans in our
service--have been unable to obtain necessary information for us in
regard to Grogan's.

"It happened this afternoon that certain information was brought to me
which suggested that I myself take a look at Grogan's. And that is
what I was going to do when I saw you on the street, carefully
stalking two well-known suspects."

They both laughed cautiously.

Grogan's was now in sight on the corner, its cherrywood magnificence
and its bilious imitation of stained glass aglow with electricity. And
into its "Family Entrance" swaggered Soane, followed by the lank
figure of Max Freund.

Renoux and Barres had halted fifty yards away. Neither spoke. And
presently came to them a short, dark, powerfully built man, who
strolled up casually, puffing a large, rank cigar.

Renoux named him to Barres:

"Emile Souchez, one of my men." He added: "Anybody gone in yet?"

"Otto Klein, of Gerhardt, Klein & Schwartzmeyer went in an hour ago,"
replied Souchez.

"Oho," nodded Renoux softly. "That signifies something really
interesting. Who else went in?"

"Small fry--Dave Sendelbeck, Louis Hochstein, Terry Madigan, Dolan,
McBride, Clancy--all Clan-na-Gael men."

"Skeel?"

"No. He's still at the Astor. Franz Lehr came out about half an hour
ago and took a taxi west. Jacques Alost is following in another."

Renoux thought a moment:

"Lehr has probably gone to see Skeel at the Hotel Astor," he
concluded. "We're going to have our chance, I think."

Then, turning to Barres:

"We've decided to take a sport-chance to-night. We have most reliable
information that this man Lehr, who now owns Grogan's, will carry here
upon his person papers of importance to my Government--and to yours,
too, Barres.

"The man from whom he shall procure these papers is an Irish gentleman
named Murtagh Skeel, just arrived from Buffalo and stopping overnight
at the Hotel Astor.

"Lehr, we were informed, was to go personally and get those papers....