“Don’t get down, Mr. Gubb, don’t get down!” he said. “I came in the back way, hoping to find Miss Turner. She is not here?”
“She’s out,” said Philo.
“Too bad!” said Attorney Smith. “I wanted to see her about her nephew. You have heard he is in jail?”
“Why, yes,” said Philo, crossing one leg over the other. “He hired me to do some deteckating. I’m sort of in charge of that case. I’m just going to start in looking it up.”
Attorney Smith took a turn to the end of the room and back. He was known in Riverbank as the unsuccessful competitor against Attorney Mullen for the City Attorneyship, and was supposed to be the counselor of the liquor interests.
“You have done nothing yet?” he asked suddenly, stopping below Philo Gubb’s elevated seat.
“No, I’m just about beginning to commence,” said Philo.
“Then you know nothing regarding the—the articles young Turner is charged with stealing?”
“Well, maybe I do know something about that,” said Philo. “If you mean seven bottles of beer and a beer-opener, I do.”
“Where are they?” asked Attorney Smith in the sharp tone he used in addressing a witness for the other side when he was trying a case.