inside, asleep on my bed, wid de do' closed."
"You're a damn liar," the man snapped.
He shrilled a whistle, and two policemen entered.
"He saw the killing," the detective said, indicating Peter. "Take him along, and lock him up as a material witness."
"How about the cripple?" asked one of the officers.
"He could not have helped seeing it," the man said sourly. "That's his room right there. But I can't make him come through. But it don't matter. One's enough to hang Crown, if we ever get him. Come, get the old man in the wagon."
The policeman lifted the shaking old negro to his feet. "Come along, Uncle. It ain't going to be as bad for you as Crown, anyway," encouraged one of them. Then the little party passed out of the entrance, leaving Porgy alone.
From the street sounded the shrill gong of the patrol wagon, followed by the beat of swiftly receding hoofs upon the cobbles.
§
Ten days had passed since the detective had taken Peter away. For a week the
