d bringing down upon myself anathemas without
number; though I reached the south end of the building in a moment,
seemingly, and gazed in every direction, Delbras had vanished.

It was while making this wild rush that I brought upon myself the
attention of one of the very guards who had led me ignominiously away
from the presence of Smug and the Camps.

He had seen my hasty rush from the building, and, without at first
recognising me, had followed me to inquire the cause of my haste.

I knew him at the first moment; and when I had answered his inquiry,
he knew me.

'The matter? Oh, I was trying to overtake a--a person whom I
particularly wished to see,' I replied; and I saw on his countenance
the dawning look of recognition. 'Seems to me you and I have met
before. You don't want to arrest me again, do you?' I added testily;
and then I pulled myself together and asked more amiably, 'Did you
think I was running away with another wallet?'

The young fellow's face brightened. Dave's words had told him and his
companions who I was, and he answered, very respectfully:

'No, sir, not this time; though I had not recognised you at first. Can
I help you in any way, sir?'

'N--no, I'm afraid there's no help for me this time. By the way, did
you happen to see any of those parties again after you marched me off
so cruelly?'

He knitted his brows to assist his memory, and finally replied:

'Come to think, sir, I did see one of them; at least one of the
persons who had been swindled like yourself.'

'Swindled?'

'Yes, sir. You see, we didn't quite catch on at the time; it was all
done so quick, and I got the idea that it was a sort of pocket-game;
but it happened that I met the other gentleman, the next day, if I
remember, and I spoke to him, for I knew his face at once.'

'Describe him.'

'Why, not very tall, and--well, not very light nor very dark, I should
say; not much hair on his face, and dressed in a sort of gray suit.'

'Yes, I see.' I recognised the description as that of Smug, and
determined to hear more. 'And what did he say?'

'Why, nothing at first; but when I saw him looking at me sort of
sharp, I just stepped up and asked him how the row finished after the
other guard and I had hustled you off; and then I told him how we had
found out our mistake, and how your friend had let us off easy,
although both were on the detective force. And then he explained how,
as you and he were trying to keep the old man