Murder in Any Degree

g until the scratch of a pen should cease throughout the dim, spacious office

ficance, a man mediocre as a crowd. His hands were joined loosely behind his back; his glance, without deviating, remained persis

ematical. With a sudden unease he pushed back his chair, troubled by the analysis of his banal man, who, in another turn of Fate, might pursue him as dispassionately as he now stood before him fo

glance at his watch, locked his fingers, and began with the

r, you returned

ur ago

k, Inspector Frawley-the

ou indee

ase need yo

say not, s

ady to repo

yes,

w s

ready now,

ecretary stiffened in his chair and continued rapidly: "It's that Toronto affair; you've read the details. The government lost $350,

ly, hanging his hat betwee

he said thoughtfully. "I beg pardon, di

ning. The tele

t to the routine of the office, looked at Fr

he asked; "could you r

d; "we know pretty well, of course, who's able to handle

lance on him. Once during the recital he started at some item of description, but immediately relaxed. The report finished, the Secretary let it drop into his lap and waited, impressed, despite himself, at the thought of

y to a far corner, then he nodded slowly, looked at the Secretary, and

e Secretary, without attemptin

s a bit of an error in that description, sir. It's the left ear that's broken. Furthermore, he don

penciling Frawley's co

to the desk. "Very odd." Mechanically he saw the straggling papers on the top

etary in quick astonishme

crooks in the States. We're good friends, too-so long as they sta

moment had arrived to be

let up until you get Bucky Greenfield! While the British Empire holds together, no man

o, s

etary, only half s

f you need to buy up a whole South American government-buy i

or the Argentine-there's n

Secretary with a nervous fro

od by the mantel tapping his palm. "Oh, yes-there

errupted the Secretary, anxious to return t

pers are r

morrow every British official throughout the world will be

ard with approval an

he said reflectively-then, with a glance at the

very

pector who has had the case in hand

shall join you

r. Is there an

d, and springing up, held o

r-you have a big thing ahea

k you

y-you're n

, s

tice. How long have you

over six m

days to rest up? I can let

ifference-I think I'l

ent more,

ey ha

u think this ou

ered, and answ

there are several circumstances

w s

nsaying that-quite at the top of the

ou

ky knows I've never dropped a trail, and I think it's rather gotten on his nerves. I think he wasn't satisfied un

ry, "I hope I have sufficiently impressed

d at his chie

get him," he said in wonder

y his lack of imaginatio

"remember that you represent Her Majesty's government-you

k you

ated. The Secretary saw in the movement a reluctance to take the dec

a speck of imagination,

pardo

turned in em

tor, what can

while since I've been home-indeed, I should like it very much if I could take a good Englis

ant

said Frawley, surprised at

the two o'clock-g

ted his balance, opened his mouth, then

d day,