"All right, all right," he grumbled. "It's on me this time. Go on; what's the idea?"
"W-well, upon my word!" stammered Vaux, "it's Cassidy!"
"F'r the love o' God," growled Cassidy, "is that YOU, Mr. Vaux!" He lowered his arms sheepishly, reached out and switched on the ceiling light over the dining-room table. "Well, f'r—" he began; and, seeing Miss Erith, subsided.
"What are you doing here?" demanded Vaux, disgusted with this glaring example of interference from another service.
"What am I doing?" repeated Cassidy with a sarcastic glance at Miss Erith. "Faith, I'm pinching a German gentleman we've been watching these three months and more. Is that what you're up to, too?"
"Herman Lauffer?"
"That's the lad, sir. He's in the kitchen yonder, dressing f'r to take a little walk. I gotta get his coat and vest. And what are you doing here, sir?"
"How did YOU get in?" asked Miss Erith, flushed with chagrin and disappointment.
"With keys, ma'am."
"Oh, Lord!" said Vaux, "we jimmied the door. What do you think of that, Cassidy?"