to more than mankind realizes.


The sun had risen when Gavin Brice awoke. Apart from
stiffness and a very sore head his inured system was little
the worse for the evening's misadventures. A cold shower and
a rubdown and a shave in the adjoining bathroom. cleared away
the last mists from his brain.

He dressed quickly, glanced at his watch and saw the hour was
not quite seven. Then he faced his bedroom door and
hesitated.

"If he's a born idiot," he mused. "it's still locked. If he
isn't it's unlocked and the key has been taken away. I've
made noise enough while I was dressing."

He turned the knob. The door opened readily. The key was
gone. In the hallway outside the room and staring up at him
from widely shallow green eyes. sat Simon Cameron, the big
Persian cat.

"That's a Persian all over. Simon my friend," said Brice,
stooping down to scratch the cat's furry head in greeting. "A
Persian will sit for hours in front of any door that's got a
stranger behind it. And he'll show more flattering affection
for a stranger than for any one he's known all his life.
Isn't that true. Simon?"

By way of response. the big cat rubbed himself luxuriously