Midnight

ome time during the twenty-four hours which immediately preceded the killing. It was as if his instinc

alked to th

but I'm having him watched. Cartwright is on the job. Rig

tarted fo

he suggested

ng-house of Roland Warren's former valet. Carroll parked his ca

in need of paint and repairs, and bespeaking occupancy by a family none too well blessed with the better things of existe

ee William Ba

iam B

ve he moved h

inside. "Wait a minute," she said cro

ure of Cartwright, the plainclothes man, shivering in the partial shelter of an alley across the way. The policem

said, and promptly

e looked at Carroll. Leverage crossed

he's out, Cartwri

bird's there-I'll bet

the street and re

e Cartwright has t

of the most reliable men on the force,

ing light in his eyes-eyes which alternated between a soft, fr

your ide

word he was out whe

act

roll! 'Pears like he didn't wan

know who

d on his shoulders knows the valet of a murde

! Com

d it. Then he stepped into the dingy receptio

per appeared in the doorway, her eyes flashing antagonistically. Leve

ss brooked no opposition; "that bird Barker is here, and

's face g

?" she quavered. "Wha

to before this?"

o Gawd I don't! He just come here yesterd

his room,

't know you was cops. Oh, I hope there ain't nothin' goin' to ruin the reputation

arroll, "provided you keep your own tongue bet

ght of dark and twisting stairs, along a musty

t is, si

arroll. "If we should find you t

d, fluttering with excitement. Leverage's hand found the knob, and Car

at

white, his demeanor one of terror, which Carroll could see he was fighting to contr

it was nearer a hundred and eighty. Normal breadth of shoulder was more than made up for by unusual depth of chest. Ready-made trousers bulged with the enormous muscular development of calf and thigh. The face, clean-shaven, was sullen with the fear inspired by the sudden entrance o

bjectness and hostility. He was plainly f

rker fidgeted nervously, and finally, when

fellers? Wh

spoke

iam B

that is

hands sp

ure, that's all. You

m? What you got

showed h

inished, designating Lever

back to him in a hal

t done

as accuse

bust in on a f

Leverage followed suit. He

ngs over," he s

thin' to

iam Barker,

aid I ain'

w a bit harder. Hi

s your

; then the eyes of

he answered almo

Now, sit dow

again, but this time the softness had returned to his

we do know that you were valet to Roland Warren, and therefore must possess a great deal of information about him which n

For a long time he sta

he remarked at length; "but

returned Carroll quie

rol

id Carroll?" The query

are certain facts which I must learn. You can tell me some of them. No person who is innocent has the slig

to conceal. What ma

hing definite at this stage of the ga

now nothin

yself! I'll start at the beginni

old you t

? What city have yo

n hesi

that's what you mean. Mostly I've

ies aroun

war

, New J

ty some, and Paterson,

okl

Mr. Warre

id; you c'n find out all about him if you want. Mr. Warren was a friend of Mr. Duckworth

long

r years-ma

a man was he

o. He saw Barker flush slightly, and did not miss the jer

ight. That is, he was all

re fond

love with him. I said

ed you

he treated

ed you yesterday." T

out n

betrayed his surprise; showed clear

you kno

rned Carroll. "Th

ed a defensi

at him, because he give me a month's pay; a

." Carroll hesitated. "

h-c

lighted a cigarette. When he spoke again, his

s-all about Mr. Warren

say I

you think

n Barker's eyes. Again the

, what do I t

taxicab-do you thi

One might have fancied th

She's the person

ested Carroll interrogatively. "H

nodded. "You said it

s a bird wit