re! If you wing me, Marston will wing you, and we'll only
stir up a mess for ourselves."

"Then hand over the letter," said Crenshaw

"Do you fancy we would be hunting it if we had it?"

"I don't fancy--produce the goods!"

"We haven't the goods," Marston shrugged. "We can't find it."

Sparrow shook his head curtly.

"It's the truth," Harleston interjected. "They haven't found the goods
for the very good reason that the goods are not here. Plunge in and aid
in the search; I wish you would; it will relieve me of your triple
intrusion in one third less time. I'm becoming very tired of it all; it
has lost its novelty. I prefer to sleep."

"I want the letter!" Crenshaw exclaimed.

"I assumed as much from the vigour of your quest," Harleston shrugged.
"The difficulty is that I haven't the letter. Neither is it in my
apartment. But you'll facilitate the search if you'll depress your
respective cannon from the angle of each other's anatomy and get to
work. As I remarked before, I'm anxious to compose myself for sleep. You
can hold your little dispute later on the sidewalk, or in jail, or
wherever is most convenient."

"Mr. Harleston," said Marston, "do you give us your word that the letter
is not in your apartment?"

"You already have it," Harleston replied wearily.

"Then, sir, we'll take your word and withdraw."

"Thank you," said Harleston.

"He has it somewhere!" Crenshaw declared, fingering his revolver.

"My dear fellow," Marston returned, "we are willing to accept Mr.
Harleston's averment."

"He knows where it is--he took it--let him tell where it is hidden."

"What good will that subserve? We can't get it tonight, and tomorrow
will be too late."

"And all because of you two meddlers."

"Three meddlers, Crenshaw!" Marston laughed. "You must not forget your
sweet self. We've bungled the affair, I admit. We can't improve it now
by murdering each other--"

"We can make it very uncomfortable for the fourth meddler," Crenshaw
threatened, eyeing the figure on the bed.

"Haven't you made me uncomfortable enough by this untimely intrusion?"
Harleston muttered sleepily.

"What is your idea in not offering any opposition?" Crenshaw demanded.
"Is it a plant?"

"It was courtesy at first, and the novelty of the experience; but it's
ceased to be novel, and courtesy is a bit supererogatory. By the way,
which of you came up the fire-escape?"

The three shook their heads.

"I'm not a burglar," Crenshaw sn