第4章
Mr。Sabinwasthoughtfulforamoment。“Youexpecttofind，then，“
heremarked，“someothercauseformywife’sdisappearance？“
“Theredon’tseemmuchroomfordoubtconcerningthat，sir，“Mr。
Skinnersaid；“butIneverspeculate。Iwillbringyouthefactsto-nightbetweeneightandeleven。Nowastothebusinesssideofit。“
Mr。Sabinwasforamomentpuzzled。
“What’sthejobworthtoyou？“Mr。Skinnerasked。“Iamwillingtopay，“Mr。Sabinanswered，“accordingtoyourdemands。“
“It’sasimplecase，“Mr。Skinneradmitted，“butourmanattheWaldorfisexpensive。Ifyougetallyourfacts，Iguessfivehundreddollarswillaboutseeyouthrough。“
“Iwillpaythat，“Mr。Sabinanswered。
“Iwillbringyouthelettersbackto-night，“Mr。Skinnersaid。
“IguessI’llborrowthatlocketofyours，too。“
Mr。Sabinshookhishead。
“That，“hesaidfirmly，“Idonotpartwith。“Mr。Skinnerscratchedhisearwithhispenholder。“It’stheonlyscrapofidentifyingmatterwe’vegot，“heremarked。“Ofcourseit’sadeadsimplecase，andwecanprobablymanagewithoutit。ButIguessit’saswelltofixthethingrightdown。“
“Ifyouwillgivemeapieceofpaper，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“IwillmakeyouasketchoftheDuchess。Thelargerthebetter。Icangiveyouanideaofthesortofclothesshewouldprobablybewearing。“
Mr。Skinnerfurnishedhimwithadoublesheetofpaper，andMr。
Sabin，withsetfaceandunflinchingfigures，reproducedinafewsimplestrokesawonderfullikenessofthewomanheloved。Hepusheditawayfromhimwhenhehadfinishedwithoutremark。Mr。
Skinnerwasloudinitspraises。
“Iguessyou’reanartist，sir，forsure，“heremarked。“This’llfixthething。ShallIcometoyourhotel？“
“Ifyouplease，“Mr。Sabinanswered。“Ishallbetherefortherestoftheday。“
Mr。Skinnertookuphishat。
“GuessI’lltakemydinnerandgetrighttowork，“heremarked。
“Say，youcomealong，Mr。Sabin。I’lltakeyouwherethey’llfixyousuchabeefsteakasyounevertastedinyourlife。“
“Ithankyouverymuch，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“butImustbegtobeexcused。Iamexpectingsomedespatchesatmyhotel。Ifyouaresuccessfulthisafternoonyouwillperhapsdomethehonourofdiningwithmeto-night。Iwillwaituntileight-thirty。“
Thetwomenparteduponthepavement。Mr。Skinner，withhissmallbowlerhatonthebackofhishead，afreshcigarinthecornerofhismouth，andhisthumbsinthearmholesofhiswaistcoat，strolledalongBroadwaywithsomethingakintoasmilepartinghislips，andshowinghisyellowteeth。
“Darnedoldfool，“hemuttered。“Tomarryaslap-uphandsomewomanlikethat，andthenpretendnottoknowwhatitmeanswhenshebolts。
GuessI’llspoilhissupperto-night。“
Mr。Sabin，however，wasrecoveringhisspirits。He，too，wasleaningbackinthecornerofhiscarriagewithafaintsmilebrighteninghishard，sternface。But，unlikeMr。Skinner，hedidnottalktohimself。
R。Sabin，whowasnever，foritsownsake，fondofsolitude，hadordereddinnerfortwoateight-thirtyinthegeneraldining-room。
AtafewminutesprevioustothathourMr。Skinnerpresentedhimself。
Mr。Skinnerwasnotinthegarbusuallyaffectedbymenoftheworldwhoareinvitedtodineout。Thelongday’sexertion，too，hadhaditseffectuponhislinen。Hisfront，indeed，throughabroadgap，confessedtoafoundationofblue，andoneofhiscuffsshowedamarkedinclinationtoescapefromhiswristoverhisknuckles。Hisfacewasflushed，andheexhaledastrongodourofcigarsandcocktails。Nevertheless，Mr。Sabinwasverygladtoseehim，andtoreceivethefoldedsheetofpaperwhichheatonceproduced。
“Ihavetakentheliberty，“Mr。Sabinremarked，onhispart，“ofaddingatrifletotheamountwefirstspokeof，whichIbegyouwillacceptfrommeasamarkofmygratitudeforyourpromptness。“
“Sure！“Mr。Skinneransweredtersely，receivingthelittlerollofbillswithouthesitation，andretreatingintoaquietcorner，wherehecarefullycountedandexaminedeveryone。“That’sallright！“
heannouncedattheconclusionofhistask。“Comeandhaveonewithmenowbeforeyoureadyourlittlebillet-doux，eh？“
“Ishallnotreadyourreportuntilafterdinner，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“andIthinkifyouarereadythatwemightaswellgoin。Atthehead-waiter’ssuggestionIhaveorderedacocktailwiththeoysters，andifwearemuchlaterheseemedtofearthatitmightaffecttheconditionofthe-Ithinkitwasterrapin，hesaid。“
Mr。Skinnerstoppedshort。Histonebetrayedemotion。
“Didyousayterrapin，sir？“
Mr。Sabinnodded。Mr。Skinneratoncetookhisarm。
“Guesswe’llgorightin，“hedeclared。“Ihatetohaveagoodmealspoiled。“
Theywereanold-lookingcouple。Mr。Sabinquietlybutfaultlesslyattiredintheusualeveningdinnergarb，Mr。Skinnerill-dressed，untidy，unwashedandfrowsy。ButhereatleastMr。Sabin’sincognitohadbeenunavailing，forhehadstayedatthehotelseveraltimes-asherememberedwithanoddlittlepang-withLucille，andthehead-waiter，withalowbow，usheredthemtotheirtable。Mr。
Skinnersawthepreparationsfortheirrepast，theoysters，thecocktailsintallglasses，themagnumofchampagneinice，andchuckled。Totakesupperwithadukewasanoveltytohim，buthewasnotshy。Hesatdownandtuckedhisservietteintohiswaistcoat，raisedhisglass，andsuddenlysetitdownagain。
“Theboss！“heexclaimedinamazement。
Mr。Sabinturnedhisheadinthedirectionwhichhiscompanionhadindicated。Cominghastilyacrosstheroomtowardsthem，alreadyoutofbreathasthoughwithmuchhurrying，wasathick-set，powerfulman，withthebrutalfaceandcoarselipsofaprizefighter；abeardcroppedsoshortastoseemthegrowthofafewdaysonlycoveredhischin，andhismoustache，treatedinthesameway，wasnotthickenoughtoconcealacruelmouth。Hewascarefullyenoughdressed，andagreatdiamondflashedfromhistie。Therewasaredmarkroundhisforeheadwherehishathadbeen，andtheperspirationwasstreamingfromhisforehead。HestrodewithouthesitationtothetablewhereMr。Sabinandhisguestweresitting，andwithoutevenaglanceattheformerturneduponhismyrmidon。
“Where’sthatreport？“hecriedroughly。“’Whereisit？“
Mr。Skinnerseemedtohaveshrunkintoasmallerman。Hepointedacrossthetable。
“I’vegivenittohim，“hesaid。“What’swrong，boss？“
ThenewcomerraisedhishandasthoughtostrikeSkinner。Hegnashedhisteethwiththeefforttocontrolhimself。
“Youdamnedblitheringidiot，“hesaidhoarsely，grippingthesideofthetable。“Whywasn’titpresentedtomefirst？“
“Guessitdidn’tseemworthwhile，“Skinneranswered。“There’snothinginthedarnedthing。“
“Youignorantfool，holdyourtongue，“wasthefiercereply。
Thenewcomersankintoachairandwipedtheperspirationfromhisstreamingforehead。Mr。Sabinsignaledtoawaiter。
“Youseemupset，Mr。Horser，“heremarkedpolitely。“Allowmetoofferyouaglassofwine。
Mr。Horserdidnotimmediatelyreply，butheacceptedtheglasswhichthewaiterbroughthim，andafteramoment’shesitationdraineditscontents。ThenheturnedtoMr。Sabin。
“Yousaidnothingaboutthoselettersyouhadhadwhenyoucametoseemethismorning！“