further on. 'And gentlemen in _Mayfair_ now abed Shall think themselves
accursed they were not here.' Shall we say that--er--honours are easy?"
And the old villain fairly rocked with merriment.

Daphne laughed airily.

"Good for you," she said. "As a matter of fact, sitting here, several
things look extremely easy."

"So, on the whole, they are. Mind you, lookers-on see the easy side. And
you, madam, are a very privileged spectator."

"I have paid for my seat," flashed my sister.

"Royally. Still, deadhead or not, a spectator you are, and, as such, you
see the easy side. Now, one of the greatest dangers that can befall a
thief is avarice."

"I suppose you're doing this out of charity," I blurted.

"Listen. Many a promising career of--er--appropriation has come to an
abrupt and sordid end, and all because success but whetted where it
should have satisfied." He addressed my sister. "Happily for you, you do
not sleep in your pearls. Otherwise, since you are here, I might have
fallen... Who knows? As it is, pearls, diamonds and the emerald
bracelets that came from Prague--you see, madam, I know them all--will
lie upstairs untouched. I came for silver, and I shall take nothing
else. Some day, perhaps..."

The quiet sing-song of his voice faded, and only the murmur of the