was
recognised.

"That's Sheard," muttered the recipient of the empty envelope. "It's
Sheard, sure! Right oh! I'll ring him up at the office in a minute and
see what sort of game he's playing. Here boy, stick that in your pocket;
you might make a descriptive writer, but you'll never shine at sleight
of hand! You didn't watch that envelope half close enough!"

Thus, the man to whom the note was addressed. Let us glance at Mr. Alden
again.

Having effected the substitution with the ease of a David Devant, he
hastened to a quiet corner to inspect his haul. He was not unduly
elated. He had been prompt and clever, but in justice to him, it must be
admitted that he was a clever man. Therefore he regarded the incident
merely as part of the day's work. His success wrought no quickening of
the pulse.

In a little palmy balcony which overlooked the lobby he took the
envelope from his pocket. It bore the inscription:

RADLEY GALE, ESQ.

Quietly, his cheroot stuck in a corner of his mouth, he opened
it--tearing the end off as all Americans do. He pulled out the scribbled
note, and read as follows:

"MY DEAR GALE,--Don't forget that we're expecting your wife and
yourself along about 7. I will say no more as I rather think an
impudent American detective (?) is going to purloin this note.

"SHEARD."

Mr. Alden carefully replaced the torn leaf in the envelope, and the
envelope in his case. He rolled his smoke from the left corner of his
mouth to the right, and, his hands thrust deep in his pockets, walked
slowly downstairs. He was not offended. Mr. Aloys. X. Alden was a Stoic
who had known for many years that he was not the only clever man in the
world.

CHAPTER XIII

THE LISTENER

Sheard sat with both elbows resting upon his writing-table. A suburban
quietude reigned about him, for the hour was long past midnight. Before
him was spread out the final edition of the _Gleaner_ and prominent upon
the front page appeared:--

SIR LEOPOLD JESSON AND
MR. HOHSMANN
FALL INTO LINE

With a tact which was inspired by private information from a certain
source, the _Gleaner_ had pooh-poohed the story of the mysterious cards
received by the guests at Julius Rohscheimer's. The story had leaked
out, of course, but Sheard was in no way responsible for the leakage.

Frantically, representatives of the _Gleaner's_ rivals had sought for
confirmation from the lips of the victims;