ed to the floor above. His entrance, quiet as it had been, had
evidently attracted some attention, for a waiter in a once-white apron
detached himself from a group of men in the far corner of the room and,
picking up, as he passed, a printed card from a table, asked him what he
would have to eat.

"Nothing--not now. I will sit here and smoke." He loosened his
mackintosh and drew his pipe from his pocket, adding: "Hand me a match,
please."

The waiter looked at him dubiously. "Ain't you goin' to order nothin'?"

"Not yet--perhaps not at all. Do you object to my smoking here?"

"Don't object to nothin', but this ain't no place to warm up in, see!"

Felix looked at him, and a faint smile played about his lips--the first
that had lightened them all day. "I shan't ask you to start a fresh
fire," he said in a decided tone; "and now, do as I bid you, and pass me
that box of matches."

The man caught the tone and expression, placed the box beside him, and
joined the group in the rear. There was a whispered conference, and a
stout man wearing a dingy jacket disengaged himself from the others and
lounged toward Felix.

"Nasty night," he began. "Had a lot of this weather this month. Never
see a December like it."

"Yes, a bad night. Your servant seemed to think I was in the way. Are
you the proprietor?"

"Well, I am one of them. Why?"

"Nothing--only I hoped to find you more hospitable."

"Oh, smoke away--guess we can stand it, if you can. Dinner's over"--he
looked at the big clock decorating the white wall--"but they'll be
piling in here after the theatres is out. You live around here?"

"No, not immediately."

"Looking for any one?"

Felix gave a slight start and, from under his narrowed lids, shot one of
his bull's-eye flashes.

The man caught the flash and, misinterpreting it, bent down and said in
a hoarse whisper: "Come from the central office, don't you?"

Felix took a long puff at his pipe. "No, I am only a very tired man who
has come in out of the wet to rest and smoke," he answered, with a dry
smile, "but if it will add to your comfort and improve your hospitality
in any way, you can send your waiter back here and I will order
something to eat."

The stout man laid his hand confidently on Felix's shoulder. "That's all
right, pard--I ain't worryin', and don't you. There's nothin' doin', and
I'm a-givin' it to you straight."

Felix nodded in dismissal, rested his elbows on the table, and again
puffe