apped.

"The burden is on you to prove it, my friend!" Harleston smiled.
"However, it's no matter. Just drop cards before you leave so that I can
return your call. Once more, good-night!"

"I'm off," said Marston. "Come along, Crenshaw, you can't do anything
more here, and we'll all forget and forgive and start fresh in the
morning."

"Start?" cried Crenshaw? "what for--home? I tell you the letter is
here--he took it, didn't he? He was at the cab."

"Will you also give your word that you didn't take a letter from the
cab?" Crenshaw demanded, turning upon Harleston.

"I'll give you nothing since you've asked me in that manner," Harleston
replied sharply; "unless you want this." His hand came from under the
sheet, and Crenshaw was looking into a levelled 38. Harleston had a pair
of them.

"Beat it, my man!" Harleston snapped. "None of you are of much success
as burglars; you're not familiar with the trade. You're novices, rank
novices. Also myself. I'll give you until I count five, Crenshaw, to
make your adieux. One ... two ... No need for you two to hurry away--the
time limit applies only to Mr. Crenshaw."

"It's quite time we were going, Mr. Harleston," Marston answered.
"Good-night, sir--and pleasant dreams. Come on, Crenshaw."

"Three ... four ..."

Crenshaw made a gesture of final threat.

"Meddler!" he exclaimed. Then he followed the other two.

IV

CRENSHAW

Harleston lay for a few minutes, brows drawn in thought; then he arose,
crossed to the telephone, and took down the receiver.

"Good-morning, Miss Williams," he said. "Has it been a long night?"

"Pretty long, Mr. Harleston," the girl answered. "There hasn't been a
thing doing for two hours."

"Haven't three gentlemen just left the building?"

"No one has passed in or out since you came in, Mr. Harleston."

"Then I must be mistaken."

"You certainly are. It's so lonely down here, Mr. Harleston, you can
pick up chunks of it and carry off."

"Been asleep?"

"I don't think!" she laughed. "I'm not minded to lose my job. Suppose
some peevish woman wanted a doctor and she couldn't raise me; do you
think I'd last longer than the morning and the manager's arrival? Nay!
Nay!"

"It's an unsympathetic world, isn't it, Miss Williams?"

"Only when you're down--otherwise it's not half bad. Say, maybe here's
one of your men now; he's walking down. Shall I stop him?"

"No, no, let him go. When he's gone, tell me if he's slender, or stout