calls himself _Rev._ Mr. Buffington."

The watchman laughed grimly.

"Sorry to disturb you, reverend sir," he said, "but I shall be obliged
to lock you in your room till morning."

Buffington shrugged his shoulders.

"All right!" he said. "I shall at any rate secure a good night's sleep."

The watchman did as he suggested. He shut the burglar in his room, and
locked the door from the outside.

"Now," he said to Mark, "you can sleep undisturbed for the balance of
the night."

CHAPTER XIX.

AT NIAGARA FALLS.

Although Mark was inclined to pity any man deprived of his liberty, he
felt pleased to think that Buffington's career was cut short for a time.
There was little doubt that he would be imprisoned for a time more or
less extended.

"How much better it would be for him," thought Mark, "if he had earned
his living in some honest way!"

Stealing may seem an easy way of obtaining money, but the one who
depends on it is likely to be brought up with a round term at last.

When Mark went down in the morning the clerk said to him, "So you had a
little excitement in your room last night, the watchman tells me."

"Yes; I had a visitor, but fortunately he was caught without securing
anything. He was about to take my pocketbook when I woke up. I was
lucky, for I might have found myself unable to pay my bill here."

"We would have given you time. We can tell by your face that you are
honest."

"Thank you. Has Buffington been taken from his room yet?"

"Buffington? I don't know any such name."

"That is what he gave me as his name."

"He is down on our books as Lawrence Perkins."

"He seems to have more than one name."

"He may have a dozen. Such gentry usually do. I will send you a couple
of policemen and have him taken round to the station-house."

Two policemen were summoned and soon made their appearance. They went
up-stairs, preceded by the clerk. He opened the door of the adventurer's
room and entered.

"He isn't here!" he exclaimed in surprise, turning to the two officers.

"Not here?"

There was no need to ask how Perkins, or Buffington, whichever name he
claimed, had escaped. He had made use of the fire-escape and had
disappeared.

"He seems to have slept here," remarked one of the policeman, pointing
to the bed.

"Yes."

"He must have escaped early this morning."

"I wonder I did not think of the fire-escape."

"He didn't call at the office and pay his bill, I suppose."

"N