hotel--rubber-heeled fellow named Higginson, with one of these black
felt hats pulled down over his eyes like a stage villain--that Hare
never laid eyes on till to-day. For all he knows the man may be an agent
of Ryan's, a hired spy imported to--By Jove! That's just what he is,
I'll bet!" he cried suddenly; and after a frowning pause, hurried warmly
on: "Don't you remember last night, just after we hit the town, I said
there was a man following us--sneaked up the alley when he saw me
looking at him?"
"I believe I do, Peter. But the fact is that I met so many exciting
people last night--"
"It's the same man--it was Higginson!" said Peter positively. "I'm sure
of it! I didn't get a look at his face last night, but it's the same
hat, same figure--everything. I'll bet anything he's on Ryan's payroll;
and there's little Hare hobnobbing with him as friendly as though they'd
been classmates at college! That kind of free-for-all geniality doesn't
go, you know! A reformer in a rotten town like this," said Peter
vehemently "would do well to cultivate a profound distrust of
strangers."
Varney burst out laughing.
"You yourself have known Hare from the cradle, I believe?"
"I'm different," said Peter without a smile. "Well! I must move. Now
let's see--that lunch. What time shall I ask Hare and Mrs. Marne for?"
"Two o'clock, Thursday. I didn't have the nerve," Varney explained, "to
ask Miss Carstairs for to-day--rather lucky I didn't--and she was
engaged for Thursday."
"Right. I'll arrange it all. Well, for the Lord's sake take care of
yourself to-night, Larry, and trust me to keep out of trouble. So long."
Varney looked after Peter's disappearing back, and envied him all the
fun he was having. His own lot was certainly far less entertaining.
However, it was his own; and here he resembled his friend in one respect
at least. His thoughts, like Peter's, had a way just now of reverting at
short notice to the matters in which he himself was most closely
concerned.
He lay back idly among the cushions, and let his mind once more run over
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