Midnight

il they were alone in Leverage's sanctum that the subject of the recent interview was

, Carroll, about what I sa

rresting

e figuring what I'd

tereste

t off the reel that the skirt in the taxicab croaked Warren. Looks like she did, anyway; but whether she did or not, it's an

re was a man mix

t way. And no woman, no matter how much she wanted to bump Warren off, could think of a thing that compli

, Leverage; but you'r

ain't got any man in th

shook

wrong

ow

the idea that the woman in the taxi was Miss Gresham, I knew perfectly well that he knew she was not. I also believe that he knows who the woman was. Further, I believe that she is socially prominent. That

rowned tho

as shooting pool in Kelly's place last night around midnight; and Kelly's p

lue. He didn't know, of course, that we already had a perfect alibi for Miss Gresham; but even if we hadn't, his assumed belief that she committed the crime would have assured me that she did not. No-o, I think we'd better not arrest

arroll. I've seen you in action too

flushed

you know. I'm merely trying to be human, to learn the nature of the people with whom I'm dealing. I try to learn 'em as well as th

sted Leverage loyally

le; but the one weakness in a criminal is his lack of common sense. His perspective is awry, his sense of values distorted. Usually he bothers his head about a myr

t you're a wo

ommitted the advantage lies entirely with the detective? The detective can make a thousand mistakes during th

good man to recognize that one,

very article contained therein. Their search was well-nigh fruitless. The trunk contained little save the wardrobe of a well-dressed man-suits, shirts, underwear, shoes, caps. There were also golf and tennis togs; a few books; a handsome leather secretary, containing a good

eatures, the admission of the police department that the woman in the case was not Hazel Gresham, fiancée of the dead man, yet the certainty

of Warren's amorous attentions. Carroll read each one carefully and filed it away. He had hoped for this, but the results had far exceeded his ex

o far not a single one of the letters had varied from another. They connected Warren's name with that of some married woman, and let it go at that. It was quite evident that t

d devoted columns to conjecture. There was little definite information upon which to base the daily stories that were luridly hurled into type. Thus far Spike Walters, driver of taxicab No. 92

they proved of little assistance. With the spot-light of publicity blazing on the crime, the investigation seemed to have become static. There was no f

ious in that gentleman's movements. He seemed to be making no effort to secure employment, but, on th

gely to the science of eight-ball pool at Kelly's place. There may have been significance in his loyalty to Kelly's place; but if there was, it was too vague for Carroll to consider.

upon whom suspicion could be justly thrown; a collection of suspects from whom the investigator could take his choice, or from whom he could extr

me and the events which preceded it; but Barker wouldn't talk-and he, Carroll,

fled explanation-a lone woman entering an empty taxicab; a run to a distant point in the city; the discovery of the woman's disappearance, and in her stead the sight of the dead body of

ation of the interior of the cab had revealed nothing-not a fingerprint, nor a scrap of handke

of two hundred thousand souls-was th

cities. His vigil had been unrewarded thus far. And the public as a whole waited eagerly for her apprehension, fo

, for the simple reason that there was very little which could be said. Leverage, on his part, watched the detective with keen interest, sympathizing with him,

e facts then, Car

ll shook

ywhere, Eric. We could

l you prove he ain't, but that ain't what the law does. If we arrest this here Mr. Will

ink he can'

-Barker can't prove himself innoce

rage disapproved, but he also knew that Leverage was spo

y-daily walks which helped him to think connectedly-David Carroll

f it isn't the perfec

rol

s expanded into the first wholesome smile

velyn R

t you? How simply splendifer

I, Miss

her voice co

a great favor-an

ly. What

ine, and they don't believe it. They're over yonder in that ice-cream place. Now, what I want y

by the arm and piloted her through th

t fl