"Why not?"
"I'm engaged."
"On something better? On a deeper mystery than the death of Jason Marrow?"
"I don't know. I only know that I can't take this matter into my hands."
"Well, I'm stumped!" cried Clippers.
"And I'm sorry," answered the great detective. "I'll tell the police. I'll see that Hargraves or Irwin get the job. That's all I can do. For one year I belong to—to another master."
There was no reply to this; Clippers showed that he was "stumped."
[CHAPTER II.]
THE MIDNIGHT MURDER.