he clothing of
the victim. There were no powder marks where the bullet had entered.

"Officer, this is murder!" he exclaimed excitedly. "Notify the detective
bureau. And don't permit anyone to leave this building."

CHAPTER V

While awaiting the arrival of the Headquarters men, the coroner busied
himself with a preliminary examination of the clerks. The coroner was a
small, fussy individual, smooth-shaven, with reddish-brown hair brushed
back in pompadour fashion. Because of his small stature and
insignificant appearance he was compelled to adopt a brisk air of
command, lest witnesses presume to trifle with his authority.

"Gentlemen, I am Coroner Hart," he announced, stepping into the outer
office and addressing the assembled clerks. "I shall immediately begin a
preliminary inquest and you will all regard yourselves summoned as
witnesses. The policeman will permit no one to leave the room without my
permission."

The clerks, unfamiliar with the legal proceedings attached to a homicide
case, exchanged puzzled glances. In the presence of their beloved dead,
this man's unsympathetic attitude seemed almost a profanation. The
policeman, in passing through the office on his way to the door, had let
drop the remark that murder had been committed, yet none of the employes
could bring himself to believe that an alien hand had fired the mortal
bullet. No visitor had entered Whitmore's office; none of the clerks had
been within. Who could have done it?

The coroner called one of the clerks who had sat within a dozen feet of
the door all morning.

"Did you see anyone enter the office?" he asked.

"No, sir," the clerk replied.

"Could anyone have entered without passing you or without your noticing
him?"

"Absolutely not."

"Did you hear the shot fired?"

"I didn't hear a sound after Mr. Whitmore entered the office."

"And your hearing--is it good?"

"Perfect."

After putting the same questions to half a dozen other clerks and
obtaining similar answers, Coroner Hart decided to save time by
addressing himself to the employes in general.

"If anyone saw any person enter that office this morning or heard a
shot, let him come forward," he called.

The men stood mute, eyeing one another expectantly, each hoping someone
else might have valuable information to offer. The hush finally was
broken by a shuffling of feet as two strangers thrust their way through
the crowd and ranged themselves on either side of