Corveth helped her out with the legal euphemism.
"Yes, she was the common-law-wife of a young man known as Spike Talley. She will testify that Talley told her at this time that he had undertaken a job for a rich man, whose name he never told her, and that he was to get ten thousand dollars for it."
"What!" exclaimed Judge Stockman. "What sort of job?"
"Talley was what is called a gangster or a gunman," said Pen. "When they say 'a job' they mean a killing, a murder."
"Good Heavens!" exclaimed the Judge. "Do you mean to say you have had to associate with such people?"
"They were kind to me," said Pen simply.
"Go on."
"She will testify that Spike Talley's duties in connection with his 'job' necessitated his putting on dress clothes every evening and going to a certain fashionable hotel to dine. He never told her the name of the hotel, but on one occasion he brought her a menu-card with the name torn off. That card will be identified as one from the Hotel Warrington."
"Ha!" exclaimed his Honor as the connection began to show.
"Talley also told her that his 'boss' gave him a drink of whiskey every time he went to his house. He described to her how it stood on the sideboard in a handsome, square, cut-glass bottle, and how he was always invited to help himself."