"When peace will mantle the earth, I suppose!"
"Possibly so," answered the big man imperturbably. "I know if I were a crook engaged in a campaign of crime I'd be apt to desist if a detective suddenly appeared over the horizon. Wouldn't you?"
"Not if I thought he was scared of me!"
"Oh—I see." Mr. Krech's face, normally pink, deepened to a delicate shade of rose. "Rather cheap, that, isn't it, Varr? No, Creighton is not scared of crooks so you could notice it, but he's not a darn' fool either. Anyway, there it is. Take it or leave it."
"I'll leave it, thank you. Does he think I'm going to wire the Governor to turn out the militia?"
"He'd be more likely to suggest that you wire the nearest asylum for a competent keeper; he has a rough tongue at times."
"Humph. When's he coming?"
"First train in the morning. Gets here at eleven."
"I'll drive down and meet him. Will he stop at the hotel, or will he expect me to put him up here?"
"You'd better settle that with him, Mr. Varr. He's not a roughneck, if that's what you mean." Krech contemplated the tanner reflectively; there were several things he wished to tell him but he manfully swallowed them all. "Good-day, sir!"