'Yes,' said Arthur Mifflin. 'We'll walk. First nights always make me
as jumpy as a cat. If I don't walk my legs off, I shan't get to
sleep tonight at all.'
'If you think I'm going to help you walk your legs off, my lad,
you're mistaken. I propose to stroll gently home, and go to bed.'
'Every little helps,' said Mifflin. 'Come along.'
'You want to keep an eye on Jimmy, Arthur,' said Sutton. 'He'll
sand-bag you, and lift your watch as soon as look at you. I believe
he's Arsene Lupin in disguise.'
CHAPTER II
PYRAMUS AND THISBE
The two men turned up the street. They walked in silence. Arthur
Mifflin was going over in his mind such outstanding events of the
evening as he remembered--the nervousness, the relief of finding
that he was gripping his audience, the growing conviction that he
had made good; while Jimmy seemed to be thinking his own private
thoughts. They had gone some distance before either spoke.
'Who is she, Jimmy?' asked Mifflin.
Jimmy came out of his thoughts with a start.
'What's that?'
'Who is she?'
'I don't know what you mean.'
'Yes, you do! The sea air. Who is she?'
'I don't know,' said Jimmy, simply.
'You don't know? Well, what's her name?'
'I don't know.'
'Doesn't the Lusitania still print a passenger-list?'
'She does.'
'And you couldn't find out her name in five days?'
'No.'
'And that's the man who thinks he can burgle a house!' said Mifflin,
despairingly.
They had arrived now at the building on the second floor of which
was Jimmy's flat.
'Coming in?' said Jimmy.
'Well, I was rather thinking of pushing on as far as the Park. I
tell you, I feel all on wires.'
'Come in, and smoke a cigar. You've got all night before you if you
want to do Marathons. I haven't seen you for a couple of months. I
want you to tell me all the news.'
'There isn't any. Nothing happens in New York. The papers say things
do, but they don't. However, I'll come in. It seems to me that
you're the man with the news.'
Jimmy fumbled with his latch-key.
'You're a bright sort of burglar,' said Mifflin, disparagingly. 'Why
don't you use your oxy-acetylene blow-pipe? Do you realize, my boy,
that you've let yourself in for buying a dinner for twelve hungry
men next week? In the cold light of the morning, when reason returns
to her throne, that'll come home to you.'
'I haven't done anything of the sort,' said Jimmy, unlocking the
