“I think it's rather neat, myself.” He had some reputation in the under-world for his manner of dressing, and he regarded this latest achievement as his masterpiece.
“Sure some duds!” Garson admitted, checking his merriment.
“From your costume,” Mary suggested, “one might judge that this is purely a social call. Is it?”
“Well, not exactly,” Griggs answered with a smile.
“So I fancied,” his hostess replied. “So, sit down, please, and tell us all about it.”
While she was speaking, Garson went to the various doors, and made sure that all were shut, then he took a seat in a chair near that which Griggs occupied by the desk, so that the three were close together, and could speak softly.
English Eddie wasted no time in getting to the point.
“Now, look here,” he said, rapidly. “I've got the greatest game in the world.... Two years ago, a set of Gothic tapestries, worth three hundred thousand dollars and a set of Fragonard panels, worth nearly as much more, were plucked from a chateau in France and smuggled into this country.”
“I have never heard of that,” Mary said, with some interest.
“No,” Griggs replied. “You naturally wouldn't, for the simple reason that it's been kept on the dead quiet.”