"Murder? What crazy joke is this?" Prale cried. "And what particular person am I accused of murdering?"
"You are charged with the murder of Mr. Rufus Shepley," the detective replied.
CHAPTER VII
EVIDENCE
Many times in his life, Sidney Prale had been greatly surprised, astonished, shocked. But never had he experienced such a feeling as he did at this bald announcement of a police detective.
The statement was like a blow between the eyes. Prale stared at the two detectives for an instant, his face flushed, and then he began to laugh.
"It isn't a laughing matter, Mr. Prale," one of the detectives told him.
"Pardon me, but it is so utterly preposterous," Prale replied. "I fail to see how I can be accused of such a crime. I am not a cut-throat, and Rufus Shepley was a man I met on shipboard casually, and have seen him only once since."
"You can do your talking at headquarters, Mr. Prale," the officer said. "I'll have to ask you to come along with us. I'll leave my partner here to look through your rooms."