The detective draws a chair beside that of Ashley, and, after making certain that no listeners are about, remarks complacently: "My boy, I believe we are on the trail of Roger Hathaway's murderer."
"Indeed! I confess that I am deeper in the woods of speculation than ever."
"Ah, but when I give you the result of my day's work I think you will find yourself out of the forest and on the broad highway of conviction."
"Then you must have put in a more profitable afternoon than I spent, and I accomplished considerable. Had your supper?"
"No. Guess I'll run in and have supper and then we'll adjourn to my room for a smoke talk."
Half an hour later finds the New Yorkers comfortably settled in Barker's second-floor.
"I may as well state at the outset that, as you intimated when you introduced yourself last evening, I am not a Sherlock Holmes," begins Barker. "But I have had considerable experience in ferreting out criminals. A good memory for faces, an extensive acquaintance with the brilliants and lesser lights of the crook world, a knack of putting two and two together with a view to obtaining four as a result, more or less analytical abilities, an excellent physique, a fair amount of sand and an unlimited stock of patience are my qualifications for the profession upon which I have thus far brought no discredit."
"Pretty good stock in trade, I should say," comments Ashley.
"Thank you. Now, every detective waits patiently for what he regards as his big case. I think this Hathaway affair is mine—or ours, as we are working together. Now, I'll get down to business and tell you what I have discovered to-day. We may as well begin with a comprehensive study of the cast of characters. Unfortunately, three of the leading ones are beyond our reach."
"Then you figure Derrick Ames extensively in the case?"
"Rather. We will begin with him and consider his
