closed and the
blinds drawn.

A door leading into the rear of the hall was also closed, and locked on
the inside. Here, too, there was no sign of the plaid ulster which now
seemed to me to bear some relation to the mystery.

Finding nothing further to especially interest me I left the officers to
continue their search, and after looking through the adjoining bathroom,
that disclosed nothing new, returned to the bedroom and thence, passing
the policeman standing guard at the door, went out of the house.

It was now past eleven o'clock, and I had eaten nothing that day. Still
I was not hungry, but a feeling of faintness admonished me I must
breakfast and at once, if only to fit myself for the difficulties of the
case, for I had by this time determined to make it my special duty, if
I could secure the consent of the District Attorney thereto.

After breakfasting at a neighboring restaurant, I took the "L" road to
my office, studying on the way over the facts surrounding White's death
as far as I knew them, but only two things seemed to promise any clue to
the mystery,--the missing money and ulster.

CHAPTER IV

THE SUSPECT

On reaching the offices, I at once sought an interview with the District
Attorney and found him expecting me. He had, of course, learned of the
tragedy from police headquarters, and of my presence on the scene.

There was little I could tell him that he did not already know. The
information he had received, however, was but a meagre statement of
facts and supplied no clue to the criminal.

"I suppose," he said, "it will prove an ordinary case of burglary and
incidental murder, and I have no doubt the police will soon run down
their man."

With this expectation I could not so readily agree, and told him so. I
explained to him that while the disappearance of the money I knew to
have been on the table seemed to bear out his view, the absence of the
ulster showed something in the case that would have to be explained.

"Well, Dallas," he said, "I confess I don't see why the ulster should
not have been stolen as well as the money, and I doubt if we find the
case in any way unusual, but perhaps you are right. Suppose you take
charge of it for the office and follow it up!"

I could see he thought my connection with the matter, and friendship
with White, was influencing my judgment, but as I was mainly anxious to
obtain the commission he had voluntarily given me, I only replied that
very