"No; cut it out for six months. Come on, now; don't keep me waiting
any longer."
"Mum's th' word?"--tantalizingly.
"You ought to know that by this time"--aggrieved.
Haggerty tossed the bunch of keys on the table.
"Ha! Good specimens, these," Forbes declared, handling them. "Here's
a window-opener."
"Good boy!" said Haggerty, as a teacher would have commended a bright
pupil.
"And a door-chain lifter. Nothing lacking. Did he hit you with these?"
"Ye-up."
"What are these regular keys for?"
"One o' them unlocks a door." Haggerty smoked luxuriously.
Forbes eyed the ordinary keys with more interest than the burglarious
ones. Haggerty was presently astonished to see the artist produce his
own key-ring.
"What now?"
"When Crawford went abroad he left a key with me. I am making some
drawings for an Egyptian romance and wanted to get some atmosphere."
"Uhuh."
"Which key is it that unlocks a door?" asked Forbes, his eyes sparkling.
"Never'll get that out o' your head, will you?"
"Which key?"
"Th' round-headed one."
Forbes drew the key aside and laid it evenly against the one Crawford
had left in his keeping.
"By George!"
"What's th' matter?"
"He's come back!"--in a whisper.
"You're a keen one! Ye-up; Crawford's valet Mason is visiting in town."