lize that there
may be--well--things you know and don't want me to know. But I can't help
wondering whether Morley is the only consideration that takes you to
Washington, whether there mightn't be something else relating, in a way,
to the case--relating to it and yet not necessarily tied to it directly."

"What kind of something?" Braceway retorted.

"Say, for instance, something ugly, something painful to Fulton and
Withers--terrific scandal, perhaps."

Braceway thought a moment.

"You've a keen mind, Mr. Bristow," he said finally. "I can't discuss that
phase of it now, but you're partially right; although I'll say frankly,
if Morley wasn't going to Washington, I wouldn't go either."

"Thanks; I appreciate your telling me that much. Now, let me ask one more
question: why, exactly are you following Morley?"

"I'll tell you," Braceway replied with spirit. "It's a fair question, and
I'll answer it. I'm going there on a hunch. I can't persuade myself that
Perry's guilty, and I've a hunch that I'm now on the trail of the right
man. And, as long as I'm in the business as a professional detective, I
don't propose to disregard one scintilla of evidence, one smallest clue.
I'll run down every tip and any hunch before I'll quit a case, saying
virtually: 'Well, that man, or this man, _seems_ guilty; go ahead and
string him up.'

"No innocent man's going to his death as long as I feel there's a chance
of the guilty fellow being around and laughing up his sleeve. That's the
whole thing in a nutshell. That's why I'm after Morley! That's why I'm
going to Washington."

Bristow, responding warmly to the other's voice and mood, leaned forward
and grasped his hand.

"Good!" he said. "That's fine--and I'm with you."

"It's the only way to look at this work. Without the proper ideals, it's
a rotten business. But, with the right viewpoint, it's great, at times
far more valuable than the work of lawyers and judges."

"I'm glad you said that," Bristow declared; "very glad, because I'm
thinking of going into it myself."

"You are?" Braceway appeared surprised; or his emotion might have been
sympathy for a man driven to the choice of a new profession in life.

"Yes. I was talking about it to Greenleaf this afternoon. I realize--I'd
be foolish if I didn't--that this case has given me a lot of publicity.
It has put me where I can say I know something about crime and criminals,
although, up until this murder, the knowledge has been