things? I stared at him stupidly. Several things? Then it
came to me, with a jar like an earthquake. The story in the newspaper
returned to my vision. Oh, this was too much, altogether too much! He
took me to be the fashionable thief for whom half the New York police
force were hunting. My sight swam for a moment in a blur.

"What is it you think I have done?" I demanded.

"You have, or have had, several thousand dollars' worth of gems on your
person to-night."

I shrugged. The accusation was so impossible that my confidence
returned.

"Mr. Haggerty, you are making a stupid mistake. You are losing time,
besides. I am not the man for whom you are hunting. My name is
Richard Comstalk."

"One name or another, it does not matter."

"Plenty of gall," murmured one of the minions of the law, whom I
afterward learned was the chief of the village police.

"The card by which you gained admittance here," demanded the great
Haggerty truculently.

I surrendered it. A crowd had by this time collected curiously about
us. I could see the musicians on the stage peering over the plants.

"The thief you are looking for has gone," said I. "He escaped by the
coal-window." By this statement, my feet sank deeper still.

"What did I tell you?" cried Haggerty, turning to his men. "They had
an accomplice hidden in the cellars."

"I beg to inform you that you are making a mistake that will presently
cost you dear,"--thinking of the political pull my uncle had in New
York. "I am the nephew of Daniel Witherspoon."

"Worse and worse!" said the chief of police.

"We shall discuss the mistake later and at length. Of course you can
easily explain how you came to impose upon these people,"--ironically.
"Bah! the game is up. When you dropped that card in Friard's and said
you were going to a masquerade, I knew your game in a minute, and laid
eyes upon you for the first time since I began the chase. I've been
after you for weeks. Your society dodge has worked out, and I'll land
you behind the bars for some time to come, my gay boy. Come,"--roughly.

"I request Mr. Hamilton to be called. He will prove to you that you
are greatly mistaken." Everything looked pretty black, I can tell you.

"You will see whom you please, but only after you are safely landed in
the lockup. Now, Madame,"--turning swiftly upon the Blue Domino, "what
is your part in this fine business?"

"It certainly has no part in yours,"--icily.

H