“What’s that?” said the inspector.  “Is that cat dead?”

“An’ what have I been tellin’ th’ dudes in th’ head office all th’ while?” asked Flannery with asperity.  “What but that th’ late deceased dead cat was defunct an’ no more?  An’ thim insultin’ an honest man with their ‘Have ye stholen th’ cat out av th’ box, Flannery, an’ put in an inferior short-haired cat?’ I want no more av thim!  Here’s the key.  Good day t’ ye!”

“Hold on,” said the inspector, putting his hand on Flannery’s arm.  “You don’t go yet.  I ’ll have a look at your cash and your accounts first.  What you say about that cat may be true enough, but we have got to have proof of it.  That was a valuable cat, that was.  It was an Angora cat, a real Angora cat.  You’ve got to produce that cat before we are through with you.”

“Projuce th’ cat!” said Flannery angrily.  “Th’ cat is safe an’ sound in th’ back lot.  I presint ye with th’ lot.  If ’t is not enough fer ye, go awn an’ do th’ dirthy worrk ye have t’ do awn me.  I’ll dig no more fer th’ cat.”

The inspector unlocked the door and entered the office.  It was hot with the close heat of a room that has been locked up overnight.  Just inside the door the inspector stopped and sniffed suspiciously.  No express office should have smelled as that one smelled.

“Wan minute!” cried Flannery, pulling away from the inspector’s grasp.  “Wan minute!  I have a hint there be a long-haired cat near by.  Wance ye have been near wan av thim ye can niver mistake thim Angora cats.  I w’u’d know th’ symbol av thim with me eyes shut.  ’T is a signal ye c’u’d tell in th’ darrk.”

He hurried to the back door.  The cat was there, all right.  A little deader than it had been, perhaps, but it was there on the step, long hair and all.

“Hurroo!” shouted Flannery.  “An’ me thinkin’ I w’u’d niver see it again!  Can ye smell th’ proof, Misther Inspictor?  ’T is good sthrong proof fer ye!  An’ I sh’u’d have knowed it all th’ while.  Angora cats I know not be th’ spicial species, an’ th’ long-haired breed av cats is not wan I have associated with much, an’ cats so dang dead as this wan I do not kape close in touch with, ginerally, but all cats have a grrand resimblance t’ cats.  Look at this wan, now.  ’T is just like a cat.  It kem back.”

II

THE THREE HUNDRED

There was a certain big sort of masterfulness about the president of the Interurban Express Company that came partly from his natural force of character and partly from the position he occupied as head of the company, and when he said a thing must be done he meant it.  In his own limited field he was a bigger man than the President of the United States, for he was not only the chief executive of the Interurban Express Company, but he made its laws as well.  He could issue general orders turning the whole operation of the road other end to as easily as a national executive