"Over at Ridgewood."
"What the Satan you drivin' at, pardner?"
"You ought to know."
"Speak right out plain, pardner, and don't beat about ther bush," growled the tramp, showing his teeth.
"Well, it's that little affair about the girl that died so suddenly over at Ransom Vane's. You haven't forgotten that, of course?"
"Of course not."
The ugly eyes of the tramp regarded the disguised detective in a way that was not pleasant.
Was the tramp really the guilty person in that tragedy? If so, how much or how little did Andrew Barkswell know of the affair? The letter that had been found with the dead girl would indicate that she had been on somewhat intimate terms with either Barkswell or Bordine. As yet Keene was not satisfied as to the identity of the two. He resolved to make a bold venture at the present time, and learn if possible what there was to know or at least how much the tramp knew on the subject.
"It seems that our friend Andrew isn't exactly satisfied with the way you bungled that job."
"How's that?"