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 flush in Mr。 Horser's cheeks； but he struggled to
keep his composure。
〃Will you give me back that report？〃
〃When I have read it； with pleasure；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃Before；
no。〃
Mr。 Horser swallowed an exceedingly vicious oath。 He struck the
table lightly with his forefinger。
〃Look here；〃 he said。 〃If you'd lived in New York a couple of
years； even a couple of months； you wouldn't talk like that。 I tell
you that I hold the government of this city in my right hand。 I
don't want to be unpleasant； but if that paper is not in my hands
by the time you leave this table I shall have you arrested as you
leave this room； and the papers taken from you。〃
〃Dear me；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃this is serious。 On what charge may I
ask should I be exposed to this inconvenience？〃
〃Charge be damned！〃 Mr。 Horser answered。 〃The police don't want
particulars from me。 When I say do a thing they do it。 They know
that if they declined it would be their last day on the force。〃
Mr。 Sabin filled his glass and leaned back in his chair。
〃This；〃 he remarked； 〃is interesting。 I am always glad to have the
opportunity of gaining an insight into the customs of different
countries。 I had an idea that America was a country remarkable for
the amount of liberty enjoyed by its inhabitants。 Your proposed
course of action seems scarcely in keeping with this。〃
〃What are you going to do？ Come； I've got to have an answer。〃
〃I don't quite understand；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； with a puzzled look；
〃what your official position is in connection with the police。〃
Mr。 Horser's face was a very ugly sight。 〃Oh； curse my official
position；〃 he exclaimed thickly。 〃If you want proof of what I say
you shall have it in less than five minutes。 Skinner； be off and
fetch a couple of constables。〃
〃I really must protest；〃 Mr。 Sabin said。 〃Mr。 Skinner is my guest；
and I will not have him treated in this fashion； just as the
terrapin is coming in； too。 Sit down； Mr。 Skinner； sit down。 I
will settle this matter with you in my room； Mr。 Horser； after I
have dined。 I will not even discuss it before。〃
Mr。 Horser opened his mouth twice； and closed it again。 He knew
that his opponent was simply playing to gain time； but； after all；
he held the trump card。 He could afford to wait。 He turned to a
waiter and ordered a cigar。 Mr。 Sabin and Mr。 Skinner continued
their dinner。
Conversation was a little difficult； though Mr。 Sabin showed no
signs of an impaired appetite。 Skinner was white with fear； and
glanced every now and then nervously at his chief。 Mr。 Horser
smoked without ceasing； and maintained an ominous silence。 Mr。
Sabin at last； with a sigh； rose； and lighting a cigarette； took
his stick from the waiter and prepared to leave。
〃I fear； Mr。 Horser；〃 he remarked； 〃that your presence has scarcely
contributed to the cheerfulness of our repast。 Mr。 Skinner； am I
to be favoured with your company also upstairs？〃
Horser clutched that gentleman's arm and whispered a few words in
his ear。
〃Mr。 Skinner；〃 he said； 〃will join us presently。 What is your
number？〃
〃336；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃You will excuse my somewhat slow
progress。〃
They crossed the hall and entered the elevator。 Mr。 Horser's face
began to clear。 In a moment or two they would be in Mr。 Sabin's
sitting…room…alone。 He regarded with satisfaction the other's slim；
delicate figure and the limp with which he moved。 He felt that the
danger was already over。
CHAPTER V
BUT； after all； things did not exactly turn out as Mr。 Horser had
imagined。 The sight of the empty room and the closed door were
satisfactory enough； and he did not hesitate for a moment。
〃Look here； sir；〃 he said； 〃you and I are going to settle this
matter quick。 Whatever you paid Skinner you can have back again。
But I'm going to have that report。〃
He took a quick step forward with uplifted hand … and looked into
the shining muzzle of a tiny revolver。 Behind it Mr。 Sabin's face；
no longer pleasant and courteous； had taken to itself some very
grim lines。
〃I am a weak man； Mr。 Horser； but I am never without the means of
self…defence；〃 Mr。 Sabin said in a still； cold tone。 〃Be so good
as to sit down in that easy…chair。〃
Mr。 Horser hesitated。 For one moment he stood as though about to
carry out his first intention。 He stood glaring at his opponent；
his face contracted into a snarl； his whole appearance hideous；
almost bestial。 Mr。 Sabin smiled upon him contemptuously … the
maddening； compelling smile of the born aristocrat。
〃Sit down！〃
Mr。 Horser sat down； whereupon Mr。 Sabin followed suit。
〃Now what have you to say to me？〃 Mr。 Sabin asked quietly。
〃I want that report；〃 was the dogged answer。
〃You will not have it；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃You can take that
for granted。 You shall not take it from me by force； and I will
see that you do not charm it out of my pocket by other means。 The
information which it contains is of the utmost possible importance
to me。 I have bought it and paid for it； and I shall use it。〃
Mr。 Horser moistened his dry lips。
〃I will give you；〃 he said； 〃twenty thousand dollars for its return。〃
Mr。 Sabin laughed softly。
〃You bid high；〃 he said。 〃I begin to suspect that our friends on
the other side of the water have been more than ordinarily kind to
you。〃
〃I will give you … forty thousand dollars。〃
Mr。 Sabin raised his eyebrows。
〃So much？ After all； that sounds more like fear than anything。
You cannot hope to make a profitable deal out of that。 Dear me！
It seems only a few minutes ago that I heard your interesting friend；
Mr。 Skinner； shake with laughter at the mention of such a thing as
a secret society。〃
〃Skinner is a blasted fool；〃 Horser exclaimed fiercely。 〃Listen
here； Mr。 Sabin。 You can read that report if you must； but； as
I'm a living man you'll not stir from New York if you do。 I'll
make your life a hell for you。 Don't you understand that no one
but a born fool would dare to quarrel with me in this city？ I
hold the prison keys； the police are mine。 I shall make my own
charge； whatever I choose； and they shall prove it for me。〃
Mr。 Sabin shook his head。
〃This sounds very shocking；〃 he remarked。 〃I had no idea that the
largest city of the most enlightened country in the world was in
such a sorry plight。〃
〃Oh； curse your sarcasm；〃 Mr。 Horser said。 〃I'm talking facts； and
you've got to know them。 Will you give up that report？ You can
find out all there is in it for yourself。 But I'm going to give it
you straight。 If I don't have that report back unread； you'll never
leave New York。〃
Mr。 Sabin was genuinely amused。
〃My good fellow；〃 he said； 〃you have made yourself a notorious
person in this country by dint of incessant bullying and bribing
and corruption of every sort。 You may possess all the powers you
claim。 Your only mistake seems to be that you are too thick…headed
to know when you are overmatched。 I have been a diplomatist all my
life；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； rising slowly to his feet； and with a sudden
intent look upon his face； 〃and if I were to be outwitted by such a
novice as you I should deserve to end my days … in New York。〃
Mr。 Horser rose also to his feet。 A smile of triumph was on his
lips。
〃Well；〃 he said； 〃we … Come in！ Come in！〃 The door was thrown
open。 Skinner and two policemen entered。 Mr。 Sabin leaned towards
the wall； and in a second the room was plunged in darkness。
〃Turn on the lights！〃 Skinner shouted。 〃Seize him！ He's in that
corner。 Use your clubs！〃 Horser bawled。 〃Stand by the door one
of you。 Damnation； where is that switch？〃
He found it with a shout of triumph。 Lights flared out in the room。
They stared around into every corner。 Mr。 Sabin was not there。
Then Horser saw the door leading into the bed…chamber； and flung
himself against it with a hoarse cry of rage。
〃Break it open！〃 he cried to the policemen。
They hammered upon it with their clubs。 Mr。 Sabin's quiet voice
came to them from the other side。
〃Pray do not disturb me； gentlemen；〃 he said。 〃I