erything. You're sweet on the girl, and I don't wish to put a crimp
in your young romance by showing her up in her true colours.
Furthermore, you may be hep to her little scheme; I don't believe it,
but I know that, if you are, you won't let me suffer for it. And
finally, in the senility of my dotage I conned myself into believing I
could bluff it out; at the worst, I could prove my innocence easily
enough. But what I didn't take into consideration was that I was laying
myself open to arrest for impersonating an agent of the Government. When
I woke up to that fact, the only thing I could see to do was to duck in
out of the blizzard."

Staff said sententiously: "_Hmmm._..."

"Pretty thin--what?"

"In spots," Staff agreed. "Still, I've got to admit you've managed to
cover the canvas, even if your supply of paint was a bit stingy. One
thing still bothers me: how did you find out I knew about the smuggling
game?"

Iff nodded toward the bedroom. "I happened in--casually, as the saying
runs--just as Miss Landis was telling on herself."

Staff frowned.

"How," he pursued presently, "can I feel sure you're not Ismay, and,
having guessed as accurately as you did, that you didn't get at that
bandbox aboard the ship and take the necklace?"

"If I were, and had, would I be here?"

"But I can't understand why you are here!"

"It's simple enough; I've any number of reasons for inviting myself to
be your guest. For one, I'm wet and cold and look like a drowned rat; I
can't offer myself to a hotel looking like this--can I? Then I knew your
address--you'll remember telling me; and there's an adage that runs 'Any
port in a storm.' You're going to be good enough to get my money
changed--I've nothing but English paper--and buy me a ready-made outfit
in the morning. Moreover, I'm after Ismay, and Ismay's after the
necklace; wherever it is, he will be, soon or late. Naturally I presumed
you still had it--and so did he until within the hour."

"You mean you think it was Ismay who broke into these rooms tonight?"

"You saw him, didn't you? Man about my size, wasn't he? Evening clothes?
That's his regulation uniform after dark. Beard and glasses--what?"

"I believe you're right!" Staff rose excitedly. "I didn't notice the
glasses, but otherwise you've described him!"

"What did I tell you?" Iff helped himself to a cigarette. "By now the
dirty dog's probably raising heaven and hell to find out where Miss
Searle has hidden herself