acquaintance and ask us to play," he said.
"I'm very lucky at chemin-de-fer. And if I lose I shall conclude that
there is trickery. Which would make it very lively for everybody," he
added with a boyish smile. But his dark eyes began to glitter and he
showed his beautiful, even teeth when he laughed.

"Ha!" he said. "A little what you call a mix-up might not come amiss!
That gives one an appetite; that permits one to perspire; that does
good to everybody and makes one sleep soundly! Shall we, as you say in
America, start something?"

Neeland, thinking of Ali-Baba and Golden Beard and of their undoubted
instigation by telegraph of the morning's robbery, wondered whether
the rendezvous of the robbers might not possibly be here in the Cafe
des Bulgars.

The gang of Americans in the train had named Kestner, Breslau, and
Weishelm--the one man of the gang whom he had never seen--as
prospective partners in this enterprise.

Here, somewhere in this building, were their gambling headquarters.
Was there any possible chance that the stolen box and its contents
might have been brought here for temporary safety?

Might it not now be hidden somewhere in this very building by men too
cunning to risk leaving the city when every train and every road would
be watched within an hour of the time that the robbery was
committed?

Leaning back carelessly on the lounge and keeping his eyes on the
people in the cafe, Neeland imparted these ideas to Sengoun in a low
voice--told him everything he knew in regard to the affair, and asked
his opinion.

"My opinion," said Sengoun, who was enchanted at any prospect of
trouble, "is that this house is 'suspect' and is worth searching. Of
course the Prefect could be notified, arrangements made, and a search
by the secret police managed. But, Neeland, my friend, think of what
pleasure _we_ should be deprived!"

"How do you mean?"

"Why not search the place ourselves?"

"How?"

"Well, of course, we could be picturesque, go to my Embassy, and fill
our pockets with automatic pistols, and come back here and--well, make
them stand around and see how high they could reach with both hands."

Neeland laughed.

"That would be a funny jest, wouldn't it?" said Sengoun.

"Very funny. But----" He nudged Sengoun and directed his attention
toward the terrace outside, where waiters were already removing the
little iron tables and the chairs, and the few lingering guests were
coming inside the cafe.