ured so
prominently among Van Hofen's guests the previous evening. Yet Clancy
saw at a glance that the Senator was armed at all points. Diplomacy
would be useless. The situation demanded a bludgeon. He began the attack
at once.

"Why didn't you ring up Mulberry Street last night, Senator?" he said.

"I was too upset. My nerves were all in."

"You told the patrolman at Eighty-sixth Street that you were hurrying
away to break the news to Mrs. Tower, yet you did not go near her?"

Meiklejohn affected to consult Clancy's card to ascertain the
detective's name.

"Perhaps I had better get in touch with the Bureau now," he said, and a
flush of anger darkened his haggard face.

"No need. The Bureau is right here. Let us get down to brass tacks,
Senator. A woman named Rachel met you outside the Four Hundred Club at
eight o'clock as you were coming out. You had just spoken to Mrs. Tower,
when this woman told you that you must meet two men who would await you
at the Eighty-sixth landing-stage at nine. You were to bring five
hundred dollars. At nine o'clock these same men killed Mr. Tower, and
you yourself admitted to me that they mistook him for you. Now, will you
be good enough to fill in the blanks? Who is Rachel? Where does she
live? Who were the two men? Why should you give them five hundred
dollars, apparently as blackmail?"

Clancy was exceedingly disappointed by the result of this thunderbolt.
Any ordinary man would have shrivelled under its crushing impact. If
the police knew so much that might reasonably be regarded as secret,
of what avail was further concealment? Yet Senator Meiklejohn bore up
wonderfully. He showed surprise, as well he might, but was by no means
pulverized.

"All this is rather marvelous," he said slowly, after a long pause. He
had avoided Clancy's gaze after the first few words, and sank into an
armchair with an air of weariness that was not assumed.

"Simple enough," commented the detective readily. Above all else he
wanted Meiklejohn to talk. "I was on duty outside the club, and heard
almost every word that passed between you and Rachel."

"Well, well."

The Senator arose and pressed an electric bell.

"If you don't mind," he explained suavely, "I'll order some coffee and
rolls. Will you join me?"

This was the parry of a skilled duelist to divert an attack and gain
breathing-time. Clancy rather admired such adroitness.

"Sorry, I can't on principle," he countered.

"How--on prin