was a flavor to this old saying of men that had a recent tang--and
flavors, like scents, are most reminiscent. Yes, he had heard it--only a
very short time before, and under unpleasant circumstances. A cloud came
over the big athlete's face; he tried to put the feeling aside, and in
the effort to do so, memory flared up and showed him the facts. It had
been in Duke Sheehan's place during his first talk with the burglar,
Big Slim. It was the cracksman who had spoken of the undependability of
women. Then with a rush came other things which he had said; chief among
these was the story of how Nora had followed her husband on the night of
the murder. And then, also, there was the thing he had seen himself
through the windows at Bohlmier's hotel. But as these thoughts pressed
forward in his mind he crushed them back.

"They happened," said he. "I don't question those I heard about, and I
know what I've seen. But," and he sighed profoundly, "she ain't had
anything to do with that man's death. There's no doubt about that. The
party who did it has given it all up. It's as clear as sunshine on that
point; and the other thing can wait; explanations for them can come at
any time."

During the progress of these things through the mind of Mr. Scanlon, the
talk had proceeded between Ashton-Kirk and the headquarters man.

"All right," said Osborne; "I know you seldom agree with the police
about things, but this is one in which there is nothing more to be said.
Burton himself says he did it--and his word is the last one."

Ashton-Kirk looked at his cigar with a favoring eye; the aroma was rich,
and through the smoke he detected that thin spiral, of a denser
texture, which spoke of the presence, in a proper proportion, of the
leaf he prized.

"The thing which makes me quarrel with the police in most instances,"
said he, quietly, "is not want of foresight, but almost a complete lack
of that vastly commoner gift--hindsight. Take this present case, for an
example. You have just claimed that there is nothing more to be
said--that young Burton in his confession has spoken the final word. How
often," and he knocked the spear of ash from the cigar, "have
confessions proven false, in your own experience? Look back over the
last few years, and you'll find at least six clear cases of confessions
which were untrue. On the records of the district attorney's office is
written a case, years ago, of a man who confessed to a murder and was
hanged.