've decided I didn't do it, Mr. Lane, perhaps you'll tell us
then who did," he suggested presently.

There came a knock at the door.

A whimsical smile twitched at the corners of Kirby's mouth. He did not
often have a chance for dramatics like this.

"Why, yes, that seems fair enough," he answered.

"He's knockin' at the door now. Enter _X_."

CHAPTER XLI

ENTER X

Shibo stood on the threshold and sent a swift glance around the room.
He had expected to meet James alone. That first slant look of the long
eyes forewarned him that Nemesis was at hand. But he faced without a
flicker of the lids the destiny he had prepared for himself.

"You write me note come see you now," he said to Cunningham.

James showed surprise. "No, I think not."

"You no want me?"

The Chief's hand fell on the shoulder of the janitor. "_I_ want you,
Shibo."

"You write me note come here now?"

"No, I reckon Mr. Lane wrote that."

"I plenty busy. What you want me for?"

"For the murders of James Cunningham and Horikawa." Before the words
were out of his mouth the Chief had his prisoner handcuffed.

Shibo turned to Kirby. "You tellum police I killum Mr. Cunnin'lam and
Horikawa?"

"Yes."

"I plenty sorry I no kill you."

"You did your best, Shibo. Took three shots at ten feet. Rotten
shooting."

"Do you mean that he actually tried to kill you?" James asked in
surprise.

"In the Denmark Building, the other night, at eleven o'clock. And I'll
say he made a bad mistake when he tried an' didn't get away with it.
For I knew that the man who was aimin' to gun me was the same one that
had killed Uncle James. He'd got to worryin' for fear I was followin'
too hot a trail."

"Did you recognize him?" Jack said.

"Not right then. I was too busy duckin' for cover. Safety first was
my motto right then. No, when I first had time to figure on who could
be the gentleman that was so eager to make me among those absent, I
rather laid it to Cousin James, with Mr. Cass Hull second on my list of
suspects. The fellow had a searchlight an' he flashed it on me. I
could see above it a bandanna handkerchief over the face. I'd seen a
bandanna like it in Hull's hands. But I had to eliminate Hull. The
gunman on the stairs had small, neat feet, no larger than a woman's.
Hull's feet are--well, sizable."

They were. Huge was not too much to call them.

As a dozen eyes focused on his boots the fat man drew them back of the