came to the door with his napkin in his hand. He greeted
his visitor with a broad smile of welcome.

"Hello, Lieutenant," he said. "What's doing? Another of your boys you
want turned loose?"

"Good-morning, Chief. No, not exactly. May I talk to you a minute?"

"Sure." The chief glanced about the dining room and closed the door
with his foot. "Talk as much as you like."

Armitage glanced at the chief with an admiring smile. He had never
ceased to wonder at the multifarious qualities which enabled the man to
remain indispensable to native and cottager alike. Courteous,
handsome, urbane, diplomatic, debonair, when a matron of the very
highest caste sent for him to enlist his efforts in the regaining of
some jewel, tiara, or piece of _vertu_, missing after a weekend, he
never for a moment forgot that it was all a bit of carelessness, which
the gentlest sort of reminder would correct. This is to say that he
usually brought about the return of the missing article and neither of
the parties between which he served as intermediary ever felt the
slightest embarrassment or annoyance. No wedding was ever given
without consulting him as to the proper means to be employed in
guarding the presents. He was at once a social register, containing
the most minute and extensive data, and an _index criminis_, unabridged.

As Armitage talked, the chief's eyes lighted and he nodded his head
approvingly from time to time.

"I see," he said. "It's rather clever of you. I 'll hold myself for
any word. I can do more: I know Mrs. Wellington quite well. You can
ask her to call me for reference if you wish. I 'll make you out a
fine thug."

"That 'll be fine, although I may not need you. In the meantime have
your men keep an eye out for Yeasky. And," Armitage paused, "if
Koltsoff--never mind; we 've first to prove our case."

"Yes, that would be about the wisest thing you could do," observed the
chief. "Good luck."

An hour later Armitage stood in the servants' sitting-room confronting
Miss Hatch, Mrs. Wellington's secretary, who was viewing him, not
without interest.

"Mrs. Wellington will see you, I think," she said. "She usually
breakfasts early and should be in her office now."

Armitage had an engaging grin which invariably brought answering smiles
even from the veriest strangers. So now the crisp, bespectacled young
woman was smiling broadly when Armitage shrugged his shoulders.

"Mrs. Wellington?" he said.