lly occur in the most careful
police work."

"And--and--there's another thing," said Lieutenant Sullivan with a
note of gruff pleading. "You know how the papers are roasting the
department just now. For every little slip, we get the harpoon or the
laugh. I'll be obliged to you if you don't say anything that'll let
this thing get into the papers."

"Believe me, Lieutenant, I shall do everything in my power to
protect you," Mr. Pyecroft assured him. "And now, since the matter
is settled," he added pleasantly, "perhaps you'd like to have Matilda
show you the way out. These upper hallways are really very confusing.
Matilda, my dear,--if you don't mind."

Wordlessly, Matilda obeyed, and four sets of policemen's feet went
heavily down the stairs. Beneath her bedclothes Mrs. De Peyster began
faintly, ever so faintly, to return to life. Judge Harvey glared at
Mr. Pyecroft, hands spasmodically clutching and unclutching; his look
grew darker and darker. Respectful, regretful, Mr. Pyecroft stood
waiting.

His left forefinger had not lost the place in "Wormwood."

CHAPTER XVIII

THE THIRD FLIGHT

The storm broke.

"You are a scoundrel, sir!" thundered the Judge.

"I fear, sir, you are right," respectfully assented Mr. Pyecroft.

"And what's more, you've made me lie to the police!"

"Not exactly, sir," Mr. Pyecroft corrected mildly. "I was careful
about that. I did not ask you to deny that I was Thomas Preston. I
merely asked you if I was the man you wished arrested. You answered
that you did not want me arrested; under the circumstances I am
certain you spoke the truth. And in explaining your hesitation to the
lieutenant, when you said it was due to your utter amazement at the
grotesqueness of the situation, I am certain you there also spoke the
truth."

"You are a quibbler!" fumed the outraged Judge. "You made me lie to
the police!"

"Well, even if I did," returned Mr. Pyecroft in his same mild tone,
"is there any one else you would rather lie to?"

The Judge glared, almost choking. "Have you no respect, man, for
common decency--for order--for the law?"

"For order and decency, yes,--but as for ordinary law, I fear I have
no more respect than your honor has," Mr. Pyecroft admitted gravely.
"And I acquired my irreverence toward law just as your honor did--from
studying it."

Judge Harvey stared.

"What! You're a lawyer?"

"I have been admitted to the bar, and have been a law clerk, but have
never