At this vision of respectability both McGinnis and the conductor recoiled, glancing doubtfully at one another. Wilkins saw his advantage.
"May I hinquire," remarked he, with dignity, "wot you mean by these hactions? W'y am I thus disturbed in the middle of the night? It is houtrageous!"
"Very sorry, sir," replied the conductor. "The fact is, we thought _two_ people, suspicious characters, had taken this room together, and this officer here"--pointing to McGinnis--"had orders to arrest one of them."
"Suspicious characters! Two people! Look 'ere, conductor, I'll 'ave you to hunderstand that I will not tolerate such a performance. I am Mr. McAllister, of the Colophon Club, New York, and I am hon my way to hattend the wedding of Mr. Frederick Cabot in Boston, to-morrow. I am to be 'is best man. Can I give you any further hinformation?"
The conductor, who had noticed the initials "McA" on the silver bottle heads, and the same stamped upon the bag, stammered something in the nature of an apology.
"Say, Cap.," whispered McGinnis, "we've got him wrong, I guess. This feller ain't no burglar. Anywan can see he's a swell, all right. Leave him alone."
"Very sorry to have disturbed you," apologized the conductor humbly, putting out the light and closing the door.
"That nigger must be nutty," he added to the detective. "By Joshua! Perhaps he's got away with some of my stuff!"
[Illustration: "Wot do you want?" drawled the fat man, blinking at the lantern.]
"Look here, William, what's the matter with you? Have you been swipin' my whisky. There ain't two men in that drawin'-room at all--just one--a swell," hollered the conductor as they reached the platform.
"Fo' de Lawd, Cap'n, I ain't teched yo' whisky," cried William in terror. "I swear dey was two of 'em, 'n' de udder was in _dis_guise. It was de fines' _dis_guise I eber saw!" he added reminiscently.
"Aw, what yer givin' us!" exclaimed McGinnis, entirely out of patience. "What kind av a disguise was he in?"
"Dat's what I axed him," explained William, edging toward the rim of the circle. "I done ax him right away what character he done represent. He had on silk stockin's, an' a colored deglishay shirt, an' a belt an' moccasons, an' a sword an'----"