before his door until morning. Here's the address on this card, Mr.
Headland. When and how shall I expect to see you again? You'll use an
alias, of course?"

"Oh, certainly! Had you any old friend in your college days whom your
father only knew by name and who is now too far off for the imposture to
be discovered?"

"Yes. Jim Rickaby. We were as inseparable as the Siamese twins in our
undergrad days. He's in Borneo now. Haven't heard from him in a dog's
age."

"Couldn't be better," said Cleek. "Then 'Jim Rickaby' let it be. You'll
get a letter from him first thing in the morning saying that he's back
in England, and about to run down and spend the week-end with you. At
noon he will arrive, accompanied by his Borneo servant,
named--er--Dollops. You can put the 'blackie' up in some quarter of the
house where he can move about at will without disturbing any of your own
servants, and can get in and out at all hours; he will be useful, you
know, in prowling about the grounds at night and ascertaining if the
lady really does go to bed when she retires to her room. As for 'Jim
Rickaby' himself--well, you can pave the way for his operations by
informing your father, when you get the letter, that he has gone daft on
the subject of old china and curios and things of that sort, don't you
know."

"What a ripping idea!" commented young Bawdrey. "I twig. He'll get
chummy with you, of course, and you can lead him on and adroitly 'pump'
him regarding her, and where she keeps her keys and things like that.
That's the idea, isn't it?"