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He turned with gentle grace to his soup。
It was a warm night； and the roof…garden was full。 From where they sat they could see the million twinkling lights of the city。 Towards the end of the meal； Psmith's gaze concentrated itself on the advertisement of a certain brand of ginger…ale in Times Square。 It is a mass of electric light arranged in the shape of a great bottle； and at regular intervals there proceed from the bottle's mouth flashes of flame representing ginger…ale。 The thing began to exercise a hypnotic effect on Psmith。 He came to himself with a start； to find Billy Windsor in conversation with a waiter。
〃Yes； my name's Windsor；〃 Billy was saying。
The waiter bowed and retired to one of the tables where a young man in evening clothes was seated。 Psmith recollected having seen this solitary diner looking in their direction once or twice during dinner； but the fact had not impressed him。
〃What is happening； rade Windsor？〃 he inquired。 〃I was musing with a certain tenseness at the moment； and the rush of events has left me behind。〃
〃Man at that table wanted to know if my name was Windsor；〃 said Billy。
〃Ah？〃 said Psmith； interested； 〃and was it？
〃Here he es。 I wonder what he wants。 I don't know the man from Adam。〃
The stranger was threading his way between the tables。
〃Can I have a word with you； Mr。 Windsor？〃 he said。
Billy looked at him curiously。 Recent events had made him wary of strangers。
〃Won't you sit down？〃 he said。
A waiter was bringing a chair。 The young man seated himself。
〃By the way；〃 added Billy； 〃my friend； Mr。 Smith。〃
〃Pleased to meet you；〃 said the other。
〃I don't know your name；〃 Billy hesitated。
〃Never mind about my name；〃 said the stranger。 〃It won't be needed。 Is Mr。 Smith on your paper？ Excuse my asking。〃
Psmith bowed。 〃That's all right； then。 I can go ahead。〃 He bent forward。
〃Neither of you gentlemen are hard of hearing； eh？〃
〃In the old prairie days；〃 said Psmith； 〃rade Windsor was known to the Indians as Boola…Ba…Na…Gosh； which； as you doubtless know； signifies Big…Chief…Who…Can…Hear…A…Fly…Clear…Its…Throat。 I too can hear as well as the next man。 Why？〃
〃That's all right； then。 I don't want to have to shout it。 There's some things it's better not to yell。〃
He turned to Billy； who had been looking at him all the while with a bination of interest and suspicion。 The man might or might not be friendly。 In the meantime； there was no harm in being on one's guard。 Billy's experience as a cub…reporter had given him the knowledge that is only given in its entirety to police and newspaper men： that there are two New Yorks。 One is a modern； well…policed city； through which one may walk from end to end without encountering adventure。 The other is a city as full of sinister intrigue； of whisperings and conspiracies； of battle； murder； and sudden death in dark by…ways； as any town of mediaeval Italy。 Given certain conditions； anything may happen to any one in New York。 And Billy realised that these conditions now prevailed in his own case。 He had e into conflict with New York's underworld。 Circumstances had placed him below the surface； where only his wits could help him。
〃It's about that tenement business；〃 said the stranger。
Billy bristled。 〃Well； what about it？〃 he demanded truculently。
The stranger raised a long and curiously delicately shaped hand。 〃Don't bite at me；〃 he said。 〃This isn't my funeral。 I've no kick ing。 I'm a friend。〃
〃Yet you don't tell us your name。〃
〃Never mind my name。 If you were in my line of business； you wouldn't be so durned stuck on this name thing。 Call me Smith； if you like。〃
〃You could select no nobler pseudonym；〃 said Psmith cordially。
〃Eh？ Oh； I see。 Well； make it Brown； then。 Anything you please。 It don't signify。 See here； let's get back。 About this tenement thing。 You understand certain parties have got it in against you？〃
〃A charming conversationalist； one 'rade Parker； hinted at something of the sort；〃 said Psmith； 〃in a recent interview。 Cosy Moments； however； cannot be muzzled。〃
〃Well？〃 said Billy。
〃You're up against a big proposition。〃
〃We can look after ourselves。〃
〃Gum！ you'll need to。 The man behind is a big bug。〃
Billy leaned forward eagerly。
〃Who is he？〃
The other shrugged his shoulders。
〃I don't know。 You wouldn't expect a man like that to give himself away。〃
〃Then how do you know he's a big bug？〃
〃Precisely；〃 said Psmith。 〃On what system have you estimated the size of the gentleman's bughood？〃
The stranger lit a cigar。
〃By the number of dollars he was ready to put up to have you done in。〃
Billy's eyes snapped。
〃Oh？〃 he said。 〃And which gang has he given the job to？〃
〃I wish I could tell you。 Hehis agent； that iscame to Bat Jarvis。〃
〃The cat…expert？〃 said Psmith。 〃A man of singularly winsome personality。〃
〃Bat turned the job down。〃
〃Why was that？〃 inquired Billy。
〃He said he needed the money as much as the next man； but when he found out who he was supposed to lay for； he gave his job the frozen face。 Said you were a friend of his and none of his fellows were going to put a finger on you。 I don't know what you've been doing to Bat； but he's certainly Willie the Long…Lost Brother with you。〃
〃A powerful argument in favour of kindness to animals！〃 said Psmith。 〃rade Windsor came into possession of one of rade Jarvis's celebrated stud of cats。 What did he do？ Instead of having the animal made into a nourishing soup； he restored it to its bereaved owner。 Observe the sequel。 He is now as a prize tortoiseshell to rade Jarvis。〃
〃So Bat wouldn't stand for it？〃 said Billy。
〃Not on his life。 Turned it down without a blink。 And he sent me along to find you and tell you so。〃
〃We are much obliged to rade Jarvis；〃 said Psmith。〃
〃He told me to tell you to watch out； because another gang is dead sure to take on the job。 But he said you were to know he wasn't mixed up in it。 He also said that any time you were in bad； he'd do his best for you。 You've certainly made the biggest kind of hit with Bat。 I haven't seen him so worked up over a thing in years。 Well； that's all； I reckon。 Guess I'll be pushing along。 I've a date to keep。 Glad to have met you。 Glad to have met you； Mr。 Smith。 Pardon me； you have an insect on your coat。〃
He flicked at Psmith's coat with a quick movement。 Psmith thanked him gravely。
〃Good night；〃 concluded the stranger； moving off。 For a few moments after he had gone； Psmith and Billy sat smoking in silence。 They had plenty to think about。
〃How's the time going？〃 asked Billy at length。 Psmith felt for his watch； and looked at Billy with some sadness。
〃I am sorry to say； rade Windsor〃
〃Hullo；〃 said Billy； 〃here's that man ing back again。〃
The stranger came up to their table； wearing a light overcoat over his dress clothes。 From the pocket of this he produced a gold watch。
〃Force of habit；〃 he said apologetically； handing it to Psmith。 〃You'll pardon me。 Good night； gentlemen； again。〃
CHAPTER XII
A RED TAXIMETER
THE Astor Hotel faces on to Times Square。 A few paces to the right of the main entrance the Times Building towers to the sky； and at the foot of this the str