Didn't I understand you
to say, Buck, that Miss Kennard had gone chasing Latisan?"

"That's the way I figured it."

"You're wrong. He's chasing her. That's why he came in here."

The chief had snarled, "You're wrong," in a peculiarly offensive tone.
Mr. Crowley, after his proclaimed success in the Latisan case, had come
up a number of notches in self-esteem and was inclined to dispute an
allegation that he was wrong in that matter or in anything else. He was
provoked into disclosures by sudden resentment. "She stood out there in
the public street and said she was in love with him and would marry him
after the drive was down, and she grabbed up his cap and coat when he
ran away, and if it ain't natural to suppose that she was going to chase
him up and hand 'em over, then what?"

"Look here, Crowley, what kind of a yarn is this?"

"It's true."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"It didn't have anything to do with the case, as I was working it. It
was a side issue!" Crowley raised his voice, insisting on his own
prowess. "The idea was to get him off the job--and I did it. I
claim----"

"You infernal, damnation lunkhead, get out of my office till I calm
down," raged the chief.

He yelped at Crowley when the operative was at the door: "Go hunt up
Elsham and bring her here. It looks to me as if Kennard was foxier than
the dame I sent, and has turned the trick in her own way."

"I ain't afraid of questions," declared the operative. "They'll only
bring out that I'm right when I claim the credit."

He hastened to shut the door behind him. Mern acted as if he were
looking for a missile.

"But where is she? Why in the blue blazes doesn't she report in?"
muttered the chief, worriment wrinkling his forehead. On the face of
things, it seemed that, valuable as Miss Kennard had been as
confidential secretary, she was still more valuable as a skillful
operative--and Chief Mern was earnestly desirous of having her back on
the job.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Chief Mern's interview with his two operatives the next forenoon did not
yield the solid facts he was after. They disputed each other. Miss
Elsham insisted that she had had Latisan on the run and claimed that his
apparent involvement with Miss Kennard was merely a silly and fleeting
flirtation with one whom he supposed was a table girl in a tavern.

"You gave me his character, all written out," insisted Miss Elsham.
"He's that kind. He didn't dare to presume wi