m a little before midnight, I found him there. He looked
excited, and wanted me to go and get a drink with him. I declined, and
he went off. This morning when I heard about the murder I said: 'He's
the man that did the deed.'"

"You have not seen him since last night?"

"No; I suppose, of course, he has run away."

"Where did he live?"

"Dean Street, at Matchin's the carpenter."

The chief turned to his telegraphic operator and rapidly gave orders
for the arrest of Sleeny by the police of the nearest station. He also
sent for the clerks who were on duty the day before at Ware & Harden's.

"Mr. ----, I did not get your name," he said to Offitt, who gave him
his name and address. "You have acted the part of a good citizen."

"The most painful act of my life," Offitt murmured.

"Of course. But duty before everything. I will have to ask you to wait
a little while in the adjoining room till we see whether this man can
be found."

Offitt was shown into a small room, barely furnished, with two doors;
the one through which he had just come, and one opening apparently into
the main corridor of the building. Offitt, as soon as he was alone,
walked stealthily to the latter door and tried to open it. It was
locked, and there was no key. He glanced at the window; there was an
iron grating inside the sash, which was padlocked. A cold sweat bathed
him from head to foot. He sank into a chair, trembling like a leaf. He
felt for his handkerchief to wipe his wet forehead. His hand touched
one of the packages of money. He bounded from his chair in sudden joy.
"They did not search me, so they don't suspect. It is only to make sure
of my evidence that they keep me here." Nevertheless, the time went
heavily. At last an officer came in and said he was to come to the
police justice's for the preliminary examination of Sleeny.

"They have caught him, then?" he asked, with assumed eagerness and
surprise. "He had not got away?"

"No," the man answered curtly.

They came to the court-room in a few steps. Sam was there between two
policemen. As Offitt entered, he smiled and slightly nodded. One or two
men who had been summoned as witnesses were standing near the justice.
The proceedings were summary.

One of the policemen said that he had gone to Matchin's shop to arrest
the prisoner; that the prisoner exhibited no surprise; his first words
were, "Is Mr. Farnham dead yet?"

Offitt was then called upon, and he repeated, clearly and c