Page:Paine--J Archibauld McKaney collector of whiskers.djvu/137

  captures were totally eclipsed. One of them had been purchased from the barber of a petty Hapsburg prince, and the other begged from an American cabinet minister. We spent the evening among my collections in the library and when we were ready to go upstairs, I went to replace the priceless trophy in my fireproof vault. The steel doors had been closed by my secretary, however, who took it for granted that I had finished my business with it. The time lock had been set to open next morning, so that I was barred out.

I had been examining a volume of a costly edition of a standard author, and one of the books lay open on the library table. Without more ado I tucked the parchment envelope containing the royal strands of whiskers between the leaves of this book which I restored to its case, intending to look after it in the morning.

My friend, and rival, Pillsover, was compelled to take the midnight train to the city and we parted on the best of terms. Little [119