Mr. Brewster looked up amiably. He was in placid mood to-day. Two
weeks and more had passed since the meeting with Archie recorded in
the previous chapter, and he had been able to dismiss that
disturbing affair from his mind. Since then, everything had gone
splendidly with Daniel Brewster, for he had just accomplished his
ambition of the moment by completing the negotiations for the
purchase of a site further down-town, on which he proposed to erect
a new hotel. He liked building hotels. He had the Cosmopolis, his
first-born, a summer hotel in the mountains, purchased in the
previous year, and he was toying with the idea of running over to
England and putting up another in London, That, however, would have
to wait. Meanwhile, he would concentrate on this new one down-town.
It had kept him busy and worried, arranging for securing the site;
but his troubles were over now.

"Yes?" he said.

Professor Binstead had picked up a small china figure of delicate
workmanship. It represented a warrior of pre-khaki days advancing
with a spear upon some adversary who, judging from the contented
expression on the warrior's face, was smaller than himself.

"Where did you get this?"

"That? Mawson, my agent, found it in a little shop on the east
side."

"Where's the other? There ought to be another. These things go in
pairs. They're valueless alone."