Seven MR. MCGRATH REFUSES AN INVITATION

The letters were gone!
Having once made up his mind to the fact of their disappearance¹, therewas nothing to do but accept it. Anthony realized very well that he couldnot pursue Giuseppe through the corridors of the Blitz Hotel. To do so wasto court undesired publicity², and in all probability to fail in his object allthe same.
He came to the conclusion that Giuseppe had mistaken the packets ofletters, enclosed as they were in the other wrappings, for the memoirsthemselves. It was likely therefore that when he discovered his mistake hewould make another attempt to get hold of the memoirs³. For this attemptAnthony intended to be fully⁴ prepared.
Another plan that occurred to him was to advertise discreetly⁵ for the re-turn of the package of letters. Supposing Giuseppe to be an emissary of theComrades of the Red Hand, or, which seemed to Anthony more probable,to be employed by the Loyalist party, the letters could have no possible in-terest for either employer and he would probably jump at the chance ofobtaining a small sum of money for their return.
Having thought out all this, Anthony returned to bed and slept peace-fully until morning. He did not fancy that Giuseppe would be anxious for asecond encounter that night.
Anthony got up with his plan of campaign fully thought-out. He had agood breakfast, glanced at the papers which were full of the new discover-ies of oil in Herzoslovakia, and then demanded an interview with themanager and being Anthony Cade, with a gift for getting his own way bymeans of quiet determination he obtained what he asked for.
The manager, a Frenchman with an exquisitely⁶ suave⁷ manner, receivedhim in his private office.
“You wished to see me, I understand, Mr.—er—McGrath?”
“I did. I arrived at your hotel yesterday afternoon and I had dinnerserved to me in my own rooms by a waiter whose name was Giuseppe.”

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