He had read the insinuations in _The Sun_ and had
abandoned his work against Schreiber and Zalnitch for the fresher trail.

"I found out this morning that my brother-in-law was shot, but that
only makes the case look the blacker for those who openly threatened
his life."

"Among whom was your beautiful sister," the detective retorted acidly.

"How do you know that?" I demanded.

"From her maid and all the rest of the servants in the house. I found
that out when I went up to take another squint at the automobile. You
thought you were pretty smart sendin' me on a wild-goose chase after a
couple of cracked Socialists, when all the time you knew it was your
own sister done the thing. Tried to keep me off the track by slippin'
me a little dough. Well, it didn't work, see? There's your dough
back." He threw a crumpled wad of bills on the ground at my feet. "No
one saw you give it to me, but I ain't takin' any chances, you may have
marked those bills. From now on I work alone without any theories from
you."

"Look here, Inspector!" I demanded, "I was in earnest when I told you I
wanted you to find out all you could about the men in the black
limousine. I'm sure they had something to do with Mr. Felderson's
death. I didn't try to bribe you, nor throw you off the right track.
Even though my sister did have a little unpleasantness with her
husband, it was no serious difference."

I determined to find out just how much Robinson knew.

"She was utterly incapable of doing an act like this. What possible
motive could she have?"

I could see that Robinson was rather impatiently waiting for me to go
before continuing his search.

"Well, I ain't found out her motive yet. That can wait. It might have
been money or jealousy."

"Money?" I scoffed. "My sister had plenty; more than she could use.
And as for her being jealous of her husband, that is even more
ridiculous."

The little man eyed me angrily. "I said that the motive could wait.
There's no tellin' what a society woman will do. She may have been
crazy for all I know. But I ain't, and all your arguin' is just so
much time wasted. You think those guys in the automobile done it. I
don't. I think your sister done it. You don't. All right, then, you
take your road and I'll take mine, and we'll see who comes out ahead."

He turned and started back to where he had been hunting when I came up.

"May I ask what you expect to find here?" I queried, walki