His face lit up. “Do you mean that, buddy? Gee, that’d be swell. I need to get in practice a little, and I’d like to show you. First we start out with the old one-two—” And be got the fighter’s crouch again, and his feet started shuffling over the cement.

“Okay,” I said hastily, “I’ll be back,” and headed for the door. My watch gave the time as five minutes before six.

Chapter Four

I climbed the stairs to Helen Framley’s apartment once more. My face was sore now. The tips of my fingers showed there was a bump on the right side of my jaw, and another just below my left cheekbone. I didn’t think they’d show badly, but they hurt.

I rang the bell and waited.

There was no answer.

I rang again.

Abruptly the door of the adjoining apartment opened. The woman who had talked with me before, said, “Oh, it’s you. I think she’s in now. I thought you were ringing this apartment. What’s the matter? Won’t she answer?”

I said, “Give her time. She may not have heard the bell.”

“Humph! I can hear it in my apartment as plain as my own bell. I certainly thought you were ringing my bell. Perhaps—”