One thing favored Darrell.
Any one who has endeavored to write with gloves on will bear witness to the fact that as a general rule they could not swear to their own hand when cold.
So the chances were about ten to one that Joe could not recognize the hand.
The detective was ready to accept the chances. He maintained his cool demeanor through the emergency.
That was the result of education in his business. Raising his eyebrows with an expression of surprise, he said:
“You don’t mean to say that house is yours, friend Joe?”
“That’s just what I do!”
The detective was looking for signs of suspicion about the other.
Surprise and curiosity he plainly saw, but it was not so easy to discover the other.
“Come, now, what have you been looking up my house for?”