ents of electricity which reached
the telephone-central, were plugged upon the proper underground
paper-insulated wires and entered, even as the voice was speaking, the
cloud-hung office of Detective Drew.

Triggy Drew, as he was called, was dark, stout and forty-one years of
age to a month. He crooked his elbow, removed his cigar and pressed the
telephone-receiver to his ear.

The voice that came over the whispering wires was as clear as a bell
within a bell. It said:

"Montgomery Stockbridge wants you."

Drew hung up the telephone-receiver. He replaced the cigar in his
mouth. He wheeled in his chair and pressed a buzzer. To the operative
who entered he said:

"Delaney, watch things while I'm gone. I'm called up-town!"

The operative reached and handed Drew his coat. He took the
swivel-chair before the desk, as his chief clapped on a hat, turned his
eyes toward the ground-glass door, and passed out with a brisk stride.

"It's a big case," said Delaney leaning back. "Triggy is on somebody's
trail. Maybe German--maybe not!"

Drew nodded to the waiting operatives in the outer room of the suite.
He swung into the hallway with his brown eyes glowing like a man who
walked out of realism into romance.

The elevator plumbed eighteen stories. The corridor was clear. A taxi
stood at the curb. Into this Drew stepped, gave the address and was
gently seated as the driver released his brake, set the meter, and
dropped through first, second and into third speed.

Past Wall Street the taxi flashed. It rounded toward the Bowery, which
showed that the driver knew his map. It struck up through the car
tracks, across to Washington Park and there took the long longitude of
Fifth Avenue as the shortest and quickest way up-town.

Drew had no eye for the passers-by. He was repeating two words over and
over like a novice counting the same beads. Montgomery Stockbridge was
a name to conjure with in the Bagdad of Seven Million. He had made many
enemies and much money. His wealth ran well above seven figures.

The taxi came to a gliding halt. Drew stepped out in front of a church.
He tossed the driver two one-dollar bills and some silver. He waited as
the taxi merged in the traffic. He turned and glanced keenly up and
down the Avenue. Then he hurried north for one square, paused before
the mansion of turrets and towers, and pressed a button which was set
in the doorway.

The door opened to a crack, then wide. A butler barred the w