The stolid man listened to this with marked approval. Even Osborne reluctantly whispered to Pendleton:

"He's doped it out. I didn't think it was in him."

After a little more, the coroner said to his clerk:

"I think that is about all. Curran, see to it that the post-mortem is not delayed. Put a couple of our men on the case, have them make extensive inquiries in the neighborhood. Any persons who appear to possess information may be brought to my office at three o'clock. Especially I desire to see this Mrs. Dwyer, Berg, who keeps the store on the ground floor and the young man who was employed by Hume. I'll empanel a jury later." He took off his eye-glasses, placed them in a case and, in turn, carefully slipped this into his pocket. "At three o'clock," he repeated.

"If I should not be intruding," said Ashton-Kirk, "I should like to be present."

Stillman smiled with the air of a man triumphant, but who still desired to show charity.

"I shall be pleased to see you, sir," he said, "then or at any other time."

[!-- H2 anchor --]

CHAPTER V

STILLMAN ASKS QUESTIONS