Ah, you bet, I was clever enough to see that the first thing." "I'm sure it was awfully good of you, old man," said Vandover sincerely.
"I'm in a lot of trouble nowadays!" "Well, now don't you bother, Van," answered Geary consolingly.

"I guess we can pull you out of this all right." He drew up to the table, looking about from side to side.

"Got any writing paper concealed about the premises ?" he asked.

Vandover pushed him over his writing pad, and Geary, taking the cap from his fountain pen, began asking a series of questions, taking down his answers in shorthand.

After he had asked him as to his age, length of residence in the city, his property, and some few other technical matters, he leaned back in his chair and said: "Now, let's hear your side of the story, Van.