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fix the thing。 Shall I come to your hotel？〃
〃If you please；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃I shall be there for the rest
of the day。〃
Mr。 Skinner took up his hat。
〃Guess I'll take my dinner and get right to work；〃 he remarked。
〃Say； you come along； Mr。 Sabin。 I'll take you where they'll fix
you such a beefsteak as you never tasted in your life。〃
〃I thank you very much；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃but I must beg to be
excused。 I am expecting some despatches at my hotel。 If you are
successful this afternoon you will perhaps do me the honour of
dining with me to…night。 I will wait until eight…thirty。〃
The two men parted upon the pavement。 Mr。 Skinner； with his small
bowler hat on the back of his head； a fresh cigar in the corner of
his mouth； and his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat； strolled
along Broadway with something akin to a smile parting his lips； and
showing his yellow teeth。
〃Darned old fool；〃 he muttered。 〃To marry a slap…up handsome woman
like that； and then pretend not to know what it means when she bolts。
Guess I'll spoil his supper to…night。〃
Mr。 Sabin； however； was recovering his spirits。 He； too； was
leaning back in the corner of his carriage with a faint smile
brightening his hard； stern face。 But； unlike Mr。 Skinner； he did
not talk to himself。
CHAPTER IV
R。 Sabin； who was never； for its own sake； fond of solitude； had
ordered dinner for two at eight…thirty in the general dining…room。
At a few minutes previous to that hour Mr。 Skinner presented himself。
Mr。 Skinner was not in the garb usually affected by men of the world
who are invited to dine out。 The long day's exertion； too； had had
its effect upon his linen。 His front； indeed； through a broad gap；
confessed to a foundation of blue； and one of his cuffs showed a
marked inclination to escape from his wrist over his knuckles。 His
face was flushed； and he exhaled a strong odour of cigars and
cocktails。 Nevertheless； Mr。 Sabin was very glad to see him； and
to receive the folded sheet of paper which he at once produced。
〃I have taken the liberty；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； on his part； 〃of
adding a trifle to the amount we first spoke of； which I beg you
will accept from me as a mark of my gratitude for your promptness。〃
〃Sure！〃 Mr。 Skinner answered tersely； receiving the little roll of
bills without hesitation； and retreating into a quiet corner； where
he carefully counted and examined every one。 〃That's all right！〃
he announced at the conclusion of his task。 〃Come and have one
with me now before you read your little billet…doux； eh？〃
〃I shall not read your report until after dinner；〃 Mr。 Sabin said；
〃and I think if you are ready that we might as well go in。 At the
head…waiter's suggestion I have ordered a cocktail with the oysters；
and if we are much later he seemed to fear that it might affect the
condition of the … I think it was terrapin； he said。〃
Mr。 Skinner stopped short。 His tone betrayed emotion。
〃Did you say terrapin； sir？〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。 Mr。 Skinner at once took his arm。
〃Guess we'll go right in；〃 he declared。 〃I hate to have a good
meal spoiled。〃
They were an old…looking couple。 Mr。 Sabin quietly but faultlessly
attired in the usual evening dinner garb； Mr。 Skinner ill…dressed；
untidy； unwashed and frowsy。 But here at least Mr。 Sabin's
incognito had been unavailing； for he had stayed at the hotel several
times … as he remembered with an odd little pang … with Lucille； and
the head…waiter； with a low bow； ushered them to their table。 Mr。
Skinner saw the preparations for their repast； the oysters； the
cocktails in tall glasses； the magnum of champagne in ice； and
chuckled。 To take supper with a duke was a novelty to him； but he
was not shy。 He sat down and tucked his serviette into his
waistcoat； raised his glass； and suddenly set it down again。
〃The boss！〃 he exclaimed in amazement。
Mr。 Sabin turned his head in the direction which his companion had
indicated。 Coming hastily across the room towards them； already
out of breath as though with much hurrying； was a thick…set； powerful
man； with the brutal face and coarse lips of a prizefighter； a beard
cropped so short as to seem the growth of a few days only covered
his chin； and his moustache； treated in the same way； was not thick
enough to conceal a cruel mouth。 He was carefully enough dressed；
and a great diamond flashed from his tie。 There was a red mark
round his forehead where his hat had been； and the perspiration was
streaming from his forehead。 He strode without hesitation to the
table where Mr。 Sabin and his guest were sitting； and without even
a glance at the former turned upon his myrmidon。
〃Where's that report？〃 he cried roughly。 〃'Where is it？〃
Mr。 Skinner seemed to have shrunk into a smaller man。 He pointed
across the table。
〃I've given it to him；〃 he said。 〃What's wrong； boss？〃
The newcomer raised his hand as though to strike Skinner。 He
gnashed his teeth with the effort to control himself。
〃You damned blithering idiot；〃 he said hoarsely； gripping the side
of the table。 〃Why wasn't it presented to me first？〃
〃Guess it didn't seem worth while；〃 Skinner answered。 〃There's
nothing in the darned thing。〃
〃You ignorant fool； hold your tongue；〃 was the fierce reply。
The newcomer sank into a chair and wiped the perspiration from
his streaming forehead。 Mr。 Sabin signaled to a waiter。
〃You seem upset； Mr。 Horser；〃 he remarked politely。 〃Allow me to
offer you a glass of wine。
Mr。 Horser did not immediately reply； but he accepted the glass
which the waiter brought him； and after a moment's hesitation
drained its contents。 Then he turned to Mr。 Sabin。
〃You said nothing about those letters you had had when you came
to see me this morning！〃
〃It was you yourself；〃 Mr。 Sabin reminded him； 〃who begged me not
to enter into particulars。 You sent me on to Mr。 Skinner。 I told
him everything。〃
Mr。 Horser leaned over the table。 His eyes were bloodshot； his
tone was fierce and threatening。 Mr。 Sabin was coldly courteous。
The difference between the demeanour of the two men was remarkable。
〃You knew what those letters meant！ This is a plot！ Where is
Skinner's report？〃
Mr。 Sabin raised his eyebrows。 He signaled to the head…waiter。
〃Be so good as to continue the service of my dinner；〃 he ordered。
〃The champagne is a trifle too chilled。 You can take it out of
the cooler。〃
The man bowed； with a curious side glance at Horser。
〃Certainly； your Grace！〃
Horser was almost speechless with anger。
〃Are you going to answer my questions？〃 he demanded thickly。
〃I have no particular objection to doing so；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered；
〃but until you can sit up and compose yourself like an ordinary
individual； I decline to enter into any conversation with you at
all。〃
Again Mr。 Horser raised his voice； and the glare in his eyes was
like the glare of a wild beast。
〃Do you know who I am？〃 he asked。 〃Do you know who you're talking
to？〃
Mr。 Sabin looked at him coolly； and fingered his wineglass。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃I've a shocking memory for names； but yours is
… Mr。 Horser； isn't it？ I heard it for the first time this morning；
and my memory will generally carry me through four…and…twenty hours。〃
There was a moment's silence。 Horser was no fool。 He accepted his
defeat and dropped the bully。
〃You're a stranger in this city； Mr。 Sabin； and I guess you aren't
altogether acquainted with our ways yet；〃 he said。 〃But I want you
to understand this。 The report which is in your pocket has got to
be returned to me。 If I'd known what I was meddling with I wouldn't
have touched your business for a hundred thousand dollars。 It's got
to be returned to me； I say！〃 he repeated in a more threatening tone。
Mr。 Sabin helped himself to fish； and made a careful examination of
the sauce。
〃After all；〃 he said meditatively； 〃I am not sure that I was wise
in insisting upon a sauce piquante。 I beg your pardon； Mr。 Horser。
Please do not think me inattentive； but I am very hungry。 So； I
believe； is my friend； Mr。 Skinner。 Will you not join us … or
perhaps you have already dined？〃
There was an ugly fl