n I seen him, even if he did look like a dude."

Shirley hurried to the entry once more. This was the only portal through
which visitors were admitted to the hospital for the purpose of calling
on patients. He hastened to the uniformed attendant who took down the
names of all applicants. This man, upon inquiry, was a trifle dubious.
True, there had been two Italian women and before them--yes, there had
been a young chap with a green velour hat, and white spats. He had asked
about a Captain Cronin, and when told that a visitor was already seeing
the patient, agreed to wait outside. It had been about five minutes
before. The man was indefinite about more details. Shirley hurried to
the telephone booth in the corridor. To Headquarters he reported the
theft of car "99835 N.Y.," giving a description of its special features
and its make. This warning he knew would be telephoned to all stations
within five minutes, so that every policeman in New York would be on
the lookout for the missing machine. Satisfied, he left the hospital, to
walk across the long block to the nearest north and south avenue, where
he might catch a surface car.

Suddenly he halted, to mutter in astonishment at a sight which was the
surprise of the morning: it was the missing car standing peacefully on
the next corner.

"I wonder what that means?" he murmured, as he stopped to study with
great interest the window of an Italian green grocer. A sidelong glance
at the car and its surroundings revealed nothing out of the way. He
retraced his steps to the hospital, wasted ten minutes with a cigarette
or two, and still no one seemed to take an interest in the automobile.
Finally he walked up to the car, trying the lock of which he had the
only key. Apparently it had been untampered with, for the key worked
perfectly. Here was Jim Merrivale's car, a good three hundred yards away
from the place where he had locked it to prevent any moving. He felt
certain that keen eyes had him under surveillance, yet he could not
observe any observers within the range of his own vision. It was simply
a stupid, quiet slum neighborhood and at the time, unusually deserted by
the customary hordes of children and dogs!

What had been the purpose in moving it such a short distance?

Where had it been in the twenty-five minutes since he had left it at the
entrance to the hospital?

Why had it been left here, of all places, where he would naturally walk
if desirous of taking a str