Death at the Excelsior

o would be grateful if he could spare her a few moments. Mr. Snyder was glad to see Mrs. Pickett. He was a student of character, and she had interested hi

on the extreme edge of the chair in which a short

lly. "I'm very glad that you could find time to pa

ir

hom you met as James Burton," said the

bout it," said Mr

iringly. Her manner seemed mo

strong young fool,

ften drawn it himself, but at the present juncture it surprised him. Oakes,

ution of the mystery sa

N

gical and convincin

he fancy names you ple

on was not th

n alternati

tt tighten

I should lik

at the pro

o certain that Mr

hole case on it. There couldn't have been a snake in that room

e evidence of

ppointed her. "I had always heard you spoken

tried to use

mething happened which could not possibly have happened just

is another explanatio

er a

nation. But there is a common sense explanation, and if he had

ou had found it,"

ned forward as she spoke,

started.

es

t is

out for yourself. A successful and prosperous detective agency li

itrant pupil that Mr. Snyder's sense of humor came to his rescue. "We do our best, Mrs. Pick

to astonish Mr. Snyder by asking him to swear out a warrant fo

he gasped. The thought crossed his mind that Mrs. Pickett might well be mentally unbalanced. The details of the case were fresh in his memory, and he distinctly recol

nfaltering stare. To all outward appeara

ut a warrant without e

ence," she r

kind of eviden

ou would think that

gency responsible for the arbitrary arrest of a man on the strength of a single indiv

for yourself how the crime was committed. If after that you feel that you cannot make the arrest I will accept your decision. I know who killed Capt

impressed. This woman had the magne

ed that it had long been a professional maxim of his tha

sk you to swear

gave in. "Very

e at my house to-night I think I can prove t

" promised