"No, thank you," Swain replied. "I had my breakfast only about an hour ago. I'll just sit here, if you don't mind."
"All right," said Godfrey, "we won't be long," and together we went back to the dining-room.
Mrs. Hargis was there, and greeted us as though stopping out till dawn and breakfasting at four o'clock in the afternoon were the most ordinary things in the world. A copy of the Record was lying, as usual, on the table, and a black headline caught my eye:
WORTHINGTON VAUGHAN
MURDERED
RICH RECLUSE STRANGLED TO
DEATH AT HIS HOME IN
THE BRONX
I glanced at Godfrey in surprise.
"Yes," he said, reddening a little, "I was just in time to 'phone the story in for the last edition. I called the doctor first, though, Lester—you must give me credit for that! And it was a beautiful scoop!"
"What time did you get up?" I asked.