abuse Higgins for a thick-headed idiot."

Mr. Snaith interrupted himself to chuckle lightly.

"You noticed a resemblance?" he resumed.

Maitland, too, was smiling. "Something of the sort."

"It is really remarkable, if you will permit me to say so." Snaith was
studying his host's face intently. "Higgins, poor fellow, had his faith
shaken to the foundations. This Anisty must be a clever actor as well as a
master burglar. Having cursed Higgins root and branch, he got his second
wind and explained that he was--Mr. Maitland! Conceive Higgins' position.
What could he do?"

"What he did, I gather."

"Precisely."

"And Anisty?"

"Once loosed, he knocked Higgins over with the butt of a revolver, jumped
out of the window, and vanished. By the time the butler got his senses
back, Anisty, presumably, was miles away ... Mr. Maitland!" said Snaith
sharply.

"Yes?" responded Maitland, elevating his brows, refusing to be startled.

"Why," crisply, "didn't you send the constables from Greenfields, according
to your promise?"