aising hell in
Michigan and Arizona along the Mexican border. I think he was
planning to do away with you the same as he did with her. It's
lucky I broke in when I did and knocked his little plans in the
head, so far as my family was concerned." The murder of myself, of
course, was a small matter.

"All of these pictures are forgeries," I interrupted. "The
photographer where Hosley had his picture taken probably has his
price."

"What? You still doubt? Well, you are a crazy man. That fellow
Hosley was a great hypnotizer of women and weak men."

I did not become angry at this sneer. No, I was resolved to be
patient. I wanted to get him in a frame of mind where he would turn
on himself and say, "There's no fool like an old fool."

"This thing was about to come out through the coroner's office, but
I settled as soon as I read the first newspaper item--here it is."
He handed to me a clipping which Smith had used to clinch the
payment of what he (Smith) called bribe money.

"Anybody could make one of those on a small printing-press as easy
as they can make a camera lie or lie themselves. That clipping was
manufactured, just as that woman in the flat below ours was made to
order." I didn't lose my temper as I made this statement.

"But the death notice was in the papers giving the name and proper
address. See, here it is, Browning, and your number. Oh, you are
hypnotized yet!"

I was indeed surprised at the cleverness with which the Smith
conspirators, including Obreeon, had planned to land this big
fish--for such he truly was. He never sold a bigger one than
himself. They had worked in the dark and could fool him every time
by clouding his judgment with fear.

"You spoke of expense, Mr. Tescheron. Would you mind telling me, to
satisfy my curiosity, just how much this thing has cost you?"

"Why, you are not thinking of paying it, are you?"

"No, I am sorry to say I cannot, although partly guilty, because I
haven't so much money. But really I would like to know. I am amazed
at your gullibility--simply amazed."

"Amazed, eh? Just look at these figures and you'll get some idea of
the work we have been doing in this Hosley matter." He handed his
neatly kept memorandum, which I scanned in wonder, and as we went
over it, item by item, I could see the work of craftsmen shaping
their clay. It all figured up, including board for his family at
the Stuffer House, the payments for Smith's expenses and services,
and the "s