's face as he came into the room and sat down
in the chair at the end of the desk. Murk did not like policemen and
detectives, and did not care whether they knew of his dislike. He
flashed a glance at Sidney Prale and then faced the captain.

"Well, what is it?" he asked.

"Tell us where and how you met Mr. Prale first, what happened, and bring
the story right up to date," the captain commanded.

"Well, I went down to the river to jump in," Murk said, as if stating a
simple fact. "I was tired of fightin' to live and had decided to end it
all. Mr. Prale grabbed me and hauled me back, and then he made me see
that suicide was foolish. He offered me a job, and I agreed to take it.
He was the first man who had treated me decent since I----"

"Never mind that; get down to cases."

"Well, we walked up the street and got a taxicab and drove downtown, and
Mr. Prale bought me some clothes."

"What time was it when you met him?"

"I guess it was about ten o'clock. We bought the clothes, as I said, and
then we went to a barber shop, and I got a hair cut and a shave. After
that we went to Mr. Prale's hotel and up to his rooms. We got to bed
pretty quick."

"What time did you reach the hotel?"

"About midnight."

"What happened after you went to bed?"

"Went to sleep," said Murk.

"Never mind the jokes," the captain rebuked sternly.

"Well, I stayed awake about an hour or so thinking how lucky I was, and
then I went to sleep. I woke up early in the mornin' and got up and
dressed. Mr. Prale got up later, and we ate breakfast in the suite. Then
the cops came. One of them took Mr. Prale away, and he told me to stay
in the rooms until sent for. The other cop rummaged around the rooms and
then left."

Prale bent forward. "There is one man who can speak the truth," he told
the captain. "His story corresponds with the one I told you, doesn't it?
And doesn't it show that I could not have murdered Rufus Shepley at
eleven o'clock last night?"

"The story is all right, and it certainly corresponds with yours,"
replied the captain. "Just a minute!" He faced Murk again. "Who are you
and where did you come from?" he demanded.

"I ain't anybody in particular. I've been hangin' around town a couple
of months doin' odd jobs. Before that I was bummin' around the country
workin' whenever I got a chance."

"You felt grateful to Mr. Prale for giving you a job and a home, didn't
you?"

"Sure!" said Murk. "He talked to me decent, li