ying to get ahead of me. Well, by gad, sir, they shan't!
I'll beat 'em yet. This trip West will have to wait. Shag, you keep
this auto here. I'm going into the hotel to telephone."

"Yes, sah, Colonel!"

Getting Kenneth on the wire, the detective ascertained that the message
from Darcy was correct--the trial was to go on unexpectedly.

"I may be able to get a postponement," said the lawyer, "but it would
not be safe to count on it. We had better prepare our defense. Are
you all ready, Colonel?"

"Not quite. I've got to get a certain man back here from the West, but
I can send for him. I'll not go myself, it's too risky. See what you
can do about getting a postponement. It will be so much better if we
can. I was going to tell Miss Mason to go and give some good news to
Darcy, but maybe I'd better wait now."

"Can you produce the real murderer, Colonel Ashley?"

"I can, Mr. Kenneth. Don't let that worry you. When I want him I can
lay my hands on the real murderer! He can't get away! We'll have our
little surprise, too!"

"Good! That will make Darcy feel better. I think I'll go to see him!"

"All right. And if you want to arrange for Miss Mason to visit him I
think it would be a good thing. He may never go to trial, and then
again he might, and, as you never can count on legal tangles, all the
sentiment you can work up in his favor will be so much gained. You
might let a discreet reporter know about Miss Mason's going to the
jail."

"I will, Colonel, and thanks for the tip!"

But James Darcy did not go to trial the next day. Up to the last
minute it looked as though he would, and he was even brought down from
jail to the courtroom where a great crowd had assembled in anticipation
of the opening of the now celebrated case.

But, when the judge took his place on the bench, and the criers had
proclaimed silence, there was a whispered conference among the
prosecutor and his detectives, in which Carroll and Thong took part.
Then the judge was consulted and Darcy's lawyer was called to the
bench. He was observed to be protesting against something, and finally
the prosecutor went back to his seat at the table opposite the one
where Darcy sat with his counsel.

"Have you any cases to move this morning, Mr. Prosecutor?" asked the
court in formal tones.

"May it please your Honor," began Mr. Bardon, "I had hoped to move the
case of the State against James Darcy, indicted for murder, but, at the