let that guy
think he had a chance to get away, when you had the goods on him?
The three of us could have nabbed him the minute we came in."

"Tierney," replied Marsh, "there's a little girl up north that I
hope to marry some day. You know her--she's Atwood's daughter. If
that girl knew that her father was a crook it would break her heart.
I didn't intend that she should ever know. I told Hunt that story
tonight so as to show him the hopelessness of his position, and thus
drive him out to a finish battle with my men. Sooner or later he had
to pay the penalty of being a murderer, and I did not think he would
allow himself to be taken alive, so I gave him his chance. His death
prevents a personal trial and the presenting of all the evidence.
The name of Atwood need not now appear in the reports of the case,
and the girl will never connect the references that may be made to
Gilbert Hunt, with her father."

"One week!" exclaimed Morgan. "Marsh, you complimented me once on
twenty-four hours bum work; It's my turn now, to hand it to you for
one week's REAL work."

"I appreciate your good intentions, Morgan," laughed Marsh, "but you
forget that I have actually been two years on this job. The last
week was simply the windup. It was not my superior work--merely a
slip in the man's plans that gave me a clue."

"Hell!" cried Tierney. "Cut that modest stuff. A man who could turn
the biggest mystery the Department ever had into a CLUE, is some
guy!"

CHAPTER XXIII

SUNSET

One of the sudden changes characteristic of the Chicago climate had
taken place. The wintry chill had left the air before the advance of
a soft, warm breeze that blew out of the west. It might have been
early spring instead of late fall.

Marsh waited outside the music school on Michigan Avenue for Jane
Atwood. Presently she appeared, and Marsh was conscious of a
quickened beating of the heart as he watched the slender, graceful
figure approach. He noted the becoming flush, which spread over her
features as she recognized him, and he was certain that no woman
ever before had such sparkling eyes and so sweet a smile.

"This is a pleasant surprise," she greeted him.

"I knew you had a lesson today," explained Marsh, "and the weather
was so fine that I thought you might enjoy a walk before you went
home."

"I should love it!" she exclaimed. "I was just dreading the thought
of going straight home to that plain little room in the hotel. Hotel
r