chips the poll of his
breakfast egg; so that forever after the victim nursed an achesome and
slightly addled brain. Then there were other things.

Be the cause what it may, it certainly is the fact that on a pleasant
autumnal afternoon Inspector Krogan summoned to his presence two members
of the Central Office staff and told them to go get Stretchy Gorman.
Stretchy was to be gone after and got on the blanket charge--the rubber
blanket charge, as one might say, since it is so elastic and covers such
a multitude of sins--of being a suspicious character.

Now Stretchy Gorman had no character to speak of; so therein the
accusation appeared faulty. But equally was it true as Holy Gospel that
he was suspicious of nearly everybody on earth and that nearly everybody
on earth had reasons to be suspicious of him. So, balancing one word
against the other, the garment might be said to fit him. At any rate, it
was plain the supreme potentates had decreed for him that he was to wear
it.

One of the detectives detailed to this assignment was Hyman Ginsburg.
His partner on the job was a somewhat older man named Casane. These two
frequently worked together. Pulling in double harness they made a
dependable team. Both had wit and shrewdness. By sight, Casane knew the
individual they were deputed to take; Ginsburg, to his knowledge, had
never seen him.

Across his roll-top desk the inspector, speaking as follows, according
to the mode of the fellowcraft, gave them their instructions:

"You'll likely be findin' this here party at the Stuffed Owl. That's his
regular hang-out. My information is that he's usually there regular this
time of the day. I've just had word that he went in there fifteen
minutes ago; it's likely he'll be stayin' a while.

"Now, if he's in there don't you two go and send for him to come outside
to you; nothin' like that. See? You go right in after him and nail him
right in front of his own pals. Understand? I want him and his bunch and
the reporters all to know that this here alleged drag of his that the
newspapers've been beefin' so loud about is all bogus. And then you
fetch him here to me and I'll do the rest. Don't make no gun play nor
nothin' of that nature without you have to, but at the same time and
nevertheless don't take no foolish chances. This party may act up rough
and then again he may not. Get me? My guess is he won't. Still and
notwithstandin', don't leave no openin's. Now get goin'."

Sure enou