d all that balderdash. Man lugged away
to guard-room and me turnin' up at the club with no hat. Damn ridiculous
spectacle at my time of life."

"Quite so," said Harley soothingly; "I appreciate your annoyance, but I
am utterly at a loss to understand why you have come here, and what all
this has to do with Mr. De Lana, of the Stock Exchange."

"He fell out of the window!" shouted the Major.

"Fell out of a window?"

"Out of a window, sir, a second floor window ten yards up a side street!
Pitched on his skull--marvel he wasn't killed outright!"

A faint expression of interest began to creep into Harley's glance, and:

"I understand you to mean, Major Ragstaff," he said deliberately, "that
while your struggle with the drunken man was in progress Mr. De Lana
fell out of a neighbouring window into the street?"

"Right!" shouted the Major. "Right, sir!"

"Do you know this Mr. De Lana?"

"Never heard of him in my life until the accident occurred. Seems to
me the poor devil leaned out to see the fun and overbalanced. Felt
responsible, only natural, and made inquiries. He died at six o'clock
this evenin', sir."

"H'm," said Harley reflectively. "I still fail to see where I come in.
From what window did he fall?"

"Window above a sort of teashop, called Cafe Dame--damn silly name.
Place on a corner. Don't know name of side street."

"H'm. You don't think he was pushed out, for instance?"

"Certainly not!" shouted the Major; "he just fell out, but the point is,
he's dead!"

"My dear sir," said Harley patiently, "I don't dispute that point; but
what on earth do you want of me?"

"I don't know what I want!" roared the Major, beginning to walk up and
down the room, "but I know I ain't satisfied, not easy in my mind, sir.
I wake up of a night hearin' the poor devil's yell as he crashed on the
pavement. That's all wrong. I've heard hundreds of death-yells, but"--he
took up his malacca cane and beat it loudly on the table--"I haven't
woke up of a night dreamin' I heard 'em again."

"In a word, you suspect foul play?"

"I don't suspect anything!" cried the other excitedly, "but someone
mentioned your name to me at the club--said you could see through
concrete, and all that--and here I am. There's something wrong,
radically wrong. Find out what it is and send the bill to me. Then
perhaps I'll be able to sleep in peace."

He paused, and again taking out the large silk handkerchief blew his
nose loudly. Harley glance