awing-room on No. 29 for New York--due to leave at
11.55 last night."

"You're sure he bought _two_ tickets and a drawing-room? Or was it
one ticket?"

"It had to be two. We can't sell a drawing-room unless the purchaser has
double transportation."

"You delivered both tickets to him personally?"

"Yes, sir--gave them both to him."

From the ticket office Carroll went back to headquarters, and from there
to the coroner's office, and, accompanied by that dignitary, to the
undertaking establishment where the body was being kept under police
guard. Nothing had yet been touched. The inquest had resulted in a
verdict of "death by violence, inflicted by a revolver in the hands of a
person unknown."

Carroll again ran through the man's pockets. In a vest pocket he
discovered what he sought. He took the trunk check to the Union Station,
and through his police badge secured access to the baggage-room. The
trunk was not there. He compared checks with the baggage-master, and
learned that the trunk had duly gone to New York. He left orders for it
to be returned to the city.

From there he went to the office of the division superintendent, and left
a half-hour later, after an exchange of telegrams between the
superintendent and the conductor of the train for New York, which
informed him that the drawing-room engaged by Warren had been unoccupied,
nor had there been an attempt on the part of any one to secure possession
of it. Also that the only berth purchased on the train had been at a
small-town stop about four o'clock in the morning.

Obviously, then, the person who was to share the drawing-room with
Warren, and for whom the second ticket had been bought, had never boarded
the train. The trail had doubled back again to the woman in the taxicab.

It was not until two o'clock in the afternoon that Carroll returned to
headquarters. He found Leverage ready with his report.

"For one thing," said the chief, "there isn't a doubt that Warren was
getting ready to leave town--and for good."

"How so?"

Leverage checked over his list.

"First, he had sublet his apartment. Second, he had with him eleven
hundred dollars in cash. Third, he left his automobile with a dealer
here to be sold, and did not place an order for any other car. And
fourth--" Leverage paused impressively.

"Yes--and fourth?"

"He fired his valet yesterday!"

CHAPTER VII

THE VALET TALKS

There was a triumphant ring to Leverage's statemen