eschew violence. I shall submit myself peaceably to a second examination."

I found the affair, on the whole, interesting. I divested myself only of
my coat and waistcoat and Mr. Cullen's fingers did the rest. Only a single
and momentary frown betrayed his disappointment as, ten minutes later, he
unlocked the door.

"Gentlemen," he said, "I owe you my most profound apologies."

"That's all right, Cullen," Mr. Parker observed, patting him on the
shoulder; "but let's have this thing straight now. Are we to be allowed to
finish our dinner in peace or will you be turning up again with a new
idea? And if I take a box for the Tivoli presently, shall we have the
pleasure of seeing you bob in upon us?"

"So far as my present intentions are concerned," Mr. Cullen remarked
grimly, "you may rely upon remaining undisturbed. I am sorry, Mr.
Walmsley," he added, turning to me, "to have been the cause of any
annoyance to you this evening. My advice to you is, if you wish to escape
these inconveniences through life, to avoid the society of people whose
character is known to the police."

"I shall get you for libel yet, Cullen!" Mr. Parker declared, pulling down
his waistcoat.

"What I've done to annoy that man I can't imagine," he went on
impersonally. "Mind, he practises on me--I'm convinced of it."

Mr. Cullen left us abruptly and quitted the restaurant. I returned to our
table with my new friend.