"That's business," said the other frankly. "I'm a detective. My name's Grimm. I've got another plain-clothes man from your police headquarters downstairs, if you don't believe me, ask him——"
"Mr. Taylor—isn't that Mr. Taylor?" said someone from below. "Don't you remember me—Judd—don't you remember me at the bank?"
"That's all right," said J. B. "I remember you. Go ahead, Mr. Grimm, what do you want?"
"Well, say," said another voice a little farther down, "young fellow, if you're bossing this, my name's Hopple, and I——"
"One at a time," said J. B. forcibly. "Go on, Mr. Grimm."
"Right you are, sir," said Grimm fervently. "I thought I'd struck an asylum full of lunys at first, but I guess it ain't so after all. I'm looking for a man named Huddesley—that is, he called himself Huddesley here—that's wanted for several crooked jobs all over the country. I've been after him for six months. It's a dead cinch Huddesley's the man—Judd here's had an eye on him for six weeks——"
"That's what!" said Judd, with emphasis.
"——he was in the house to-night. Is he here now, do you know?"
"Huddesley has been here," said J. B., commanding his surprise. He turned his face towards us, and hushed us with a gesture. "Huddesley has been here, but he left the house some time ago, I don't quite know when. Miss Pallinder, do you remember when he went?"