"Mine," with equanimity. "Seriously—sleuth!—are you trying to make a charge against me of stealing my own property?"
"Yeh done it for a blind. 'Nd that's enough. Officer, take this man to the station; I'll make the complaint."
The policeman hesitated, and at this juncture O'Hagan put in an appearance, lugging a heavy brown-paper bundle.
"Beg pardon, Misther Maitland, sor——?"
"Well, O'Hagan?"
"The crowd at the dure, sor, is dishpersed," the janitor reported. "A couple av cops kem along an' fanned 'em. They're askin' fer the two av yees," with a careless nod to the policeman and detective.
"Yeh heard what I said," Hickey answered the officer's look.
"I'm thinkin'," O'Hagan pursued, calmly ignoring the presence of the outsiders, "thot these do be the soot that domned thafe av the worruld stole off ye the day, sor. A la-ad brought ut at ayeleven o'clock, sor, wid particular rayquist thot ut be daylivered to ye at once. The paper's tore, an'——"
"O'Hagan," Maitland ordered sharply, "undo that parcel. I think I can satisfy you now, sleuth. What kind of a suit did your luncheon acquaintance wear?"
"Grey," conceded Hickey reluctantly.