surely would have heard about her. She came for a purpose, and I
believe that purpose was accomplished when Kedsty gave me the
order to free McTrigger."

"That's possible, and probable," agreed Kent. "I always said you
were the best clue-analyst in the force, Bucky. But I don't see
where I come in."

O'Connor smiled grimly. "You don't? Well, I may be both blind and
a fool, and perhaps a little excited. But it seemed to me that
from the moment Inspector Kedsty laid his eyes on that girl he was
a little too anxious to let McTrigger go and hang you in his
place. A little too anxious, Kent."

The irony of the thing brought a hard smile to Kent's lips as he
nodded for the cigars. "I'll try one of these on top of the pipe,"
he said, nipping off the end of the cigar with his teeth. "And you
forget that I'm not going to hang, Bucky. Cardigan has given me
until tomorrow night. Perhaps until the next day. Did you see
Rossand's fleet leaving for up north? It made me think of three
years ago!"

O'Connor was gripping his hand again. The coldness of it sent a
chill into the staff-sergeant's heart. He rose and looked through
the upper part of the window, so that the twitching in his throat
was hidden from Kent. Then he went to the door.

"I'll see you again tomorrow," he said. "And if I find out
anything more about the girl, I'll report."