"Oh, how are you?" greeted a stout sergeant, affably. "And how's the work?"
While the investigator was speaking to the sergeant, one of the alert-looking young men approached.
"Pardon," said he. "But is there anything you'd like to say to the Star?"
"No," replied Ashton-Kirk.
"You are working on the Hume case, are you not?" asked the reporter with professional insistence.
"Oh, I have had a little interest in it as an outsider, that is all," returned the other. "However," as he was passing through with Pendleton, "I can give you a piece of official police news on the case, which I just got from the superintendent. After to-night the guard will be removed from Hume's place. Weagle thinks the regular policeman on the beat is all that is needed from now on."
As they left the building by the main door, Pendleton said:
"A little while ago, I rashly promised to ask no more questions. If you'll release me from that, I'll unburden myself of one or two which will otherwise keep me awake to-night."
"Go ahead," said Ashton-Kirk with a smile.
"Why," asked Pendleton, "do you want the police called off at Hume's? and why should we place ourselves on watch instead?"