cases with which you have been busy lately. That belief is at the bottom
of this attempt, I fancy. You remember the fellow who got off over the
first affair. There was little doubt of his guilt, but you had
insufficient evidence to bring it home to him. He was the man who fired
at me last night."

"Had you no chance of capturing him?"

"No, and the moment I saw his face clearly by the light of a street
lamp as he turned to run away, I made up my mind not to give
information. I should have got away at once, only people were on the
spot too quickly; so I told the simple truth, and slipped away at the
first opportunity to avoid being recognized by the police. It was
rather neatly done, I think."

"But I do not see why you should withhold information," I said.

"I didn't want my name mentioned in connection with the affair, and I
did not want the man to know I had recognized him. I think there is
bigger game to go for. All along I have believed that in these cases of
yours there was a connecting-link, a subtle personality in the
background. I believe you have only succeeded in bringing some of the
tools to justice."

"And you want to get at the central scoundrel?"

"I must, or he will get at me. Without knowing it I have probably escaped
other traps he has set. The fact that I am only your scapegoat does not
alter the position. He means to have me if he can. We, or rather you,
have come very near to unmasking him, I imagine, and his fear has made