and thin, taller and
thinner than Mr. Gubb himself. He was clean-shaven and his face showed
deep lines about the mouth and nose. His hair was closely clipped,
making his head seem pea-like in its smallness.

But Mr. Gubb was not gazing at these things. His bird-like eyes were
fastened on the end of the suitcase the stranger still held in his
hand. On the end of the case were painted in black the letters "C. M."
and the word "Chicago." The stranger glanced down at the suitcase and
put it on the floor with a suddenness that brought forth a thumping
sound.

"Clue!" he said, and he kicked the suitcase.

"I presume the honor of this call at this late hour of time," said
Philo Gubb, shifting his sheet a little, "is on a matter of business.
If it is of a social, society sort, I'll have to ask to be kindly
excused whilst I assume my pants."

"Business call, business call entirely, Mr. Gubb," said the tall
stranger. "Don't put anything on. If--if you feel embarrassed I'll
take some off. My name is--is--"

"Phineas Burke," said Billy Gribble, in a loud whisper.

"Can't you keep still?" asked the stranger crossly. "Don't you think I
know my own name? Phineas--that's my name, and I know it as well as
you do. Phineas Burns."

"Burke, not Burns," whispered Billy Gribble.

The stranger turned red with exasperation.

"Look here! Don't I know my own name?" he asked angrily. "My name is
Phineas Burns."

"All right! All right!" said Billy Gribble. "Have it your own way. You
ought to know. Only--you said Burke over at my place."

Mr. Burke-Burns glared at Billy Gribble.

"Now! There, now!" he cried. "Just for that I'll tell you you don't
know anything about it. My name isn't Burke, and it isn't Burns.
It's--it's Charles Augustus Witzel. Mr. Gubb, my name is Charles
Augustus Witzel."

"Glad to know your acquaintance, sir," said Philo Gubb. "Won't you be
seated upon one of them bundles of wall-paper?"

"I'm a detective," said Mr. Charles Augustus Witzel. "Tell him about
me, Gribble."

"Well, he--whatever his name is, but Burke was what he told me--is a
Chicago detective," said Billy Gribble. "Yes, sir, Mr. Gubb, Mr.--ah,
what is it?"

"Witzel," said Mr. Witzel.

"Mr. Witzel is one of the celebratedest Chicago detectives," said Mr.
Gribble, "and he's come over here to hunt up this man Master that's
disappeared. See? So when he strikes town he comes straight to me.
That's how it is, ain't it?"

"Ex-act-ly!" said Mr.