there
was a ring at the front door. Officer Delaney opened, and Dr. Bernstein
entered. Advancing into the room, he shook hands with the captain.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come before, captain. I was out when I got the
call. Where's the body?"

The captain pointed to the inner room.

"In there."

After glancing curiously at Howard, the doctor disappeared into the
inner room.

Captain Clinton turned to Maloney.

"Well, Maloney, I guess our work is done here. We want to get the
prisoner over to the station, then make out a charge of murder, and
prepare the full confession to submit to the magistrate. Have everything
ready by nine o'clock. Meantime, I'll go down and see the newspaper
boys. I guess there's a bunch of them down there. Of course, it's too
late for the morning papers, but it's a bully good story for the
afternoon editions. Delaney, you're responsible for the prisoner. Better
handcuff him."

The patrolman was just putting the manacles on Howard's wrists when Dr.
Bernstein reentered from the inner room. The captain turned.

"Well, have you seen your man?" he asked.

The doctor nodded.

"Found a bullet wound in his head," he said. "Flesh all burned--must
have been pretty close range. It might have been a case of suicide."

Captain Clinton frowned. He didn't like suggestions of that kind after a
confession which had cost him five hours' work to procure.

"Suicide?" he sneered. "Say, doctor, did you happen to notice what side
of the head the wound was on?"

Dr. Bernstein reflected a moment.

"Ah, yes. Now I come to think of it, it was the left side."

"Precisely," sneered the captain. "I never heard of a suicide shooting
himself in the left temple. Don't worry, doctor, it's murder, all
right." Pointing with a jerk of his finger toward Howard, he added: "And
we've got the man who did the job."

Officer Delaney approached his chief and spoke to him in a low tone. The
captain frowned and looked toward his prisoner. Then, turning toward the
officer, he said:

"Is the wife downstairs?"

The officer nodded.

"Yes, sir, they just telephoned."

"Then let her come up," said the captain. "She may know something."

Delaney returned to the telephone and Dr. Bernstein turned to the
captain:

"Say what you will, captain, I'm not at all sure that Underwood did not
do this himself."

"Ain't you? Well, I am," replied the captain with a sneer. Pointing
again to Howard, he said:

"This man has just confe