"Too bad you cannot find Skinner, and see what he is up to," I remarked.
"We must let Hallen keep watch on him until we are ready for our final move. It would be easy to arrest him on suspicion, but that might defeat our object, and, again, I do not believe in making arrests until my case is clear," said Oakes.
"Do you not think Skinner might be the murderer?" I asked.
"Not as I see things now. It seems more probable that he is interested in someone whom he wants to get out of harm's way. His motive throughout this affair has been to hide the guilty, I think."
"And what do you make of that man O'Brien?" queried Dowd; "he seems to be a mysterious fellow."
Oakes and Hallen exchanged knowing glances. "He's another possibility; he's a little Tartar," said the detective.
"But won't Maloney get away now?" asked Elliott.
"Nit," was the answer from Hallen. "Those two 'laborers' with him are my 'specials.'"
I was getting entirely tied up now, but, desiring to appear erudite and worthy of such company, I blurted forth: "Who is Mike O'Brien, anyway?"