patently after free advertising, and I'm not going to help along his
boost. You can't have it, old man, so let's think about something
else. What'll they do with that bit of paper that's on the poor devil's
forehead up there, for instance."

"Say," said Carruthers, "does it strike you that you're acting queer?
You haven't been drinking, have you, Jimmie?"

"What'll they do with it?" persisted Jimmie Dale.

"Well," said Carruthers, smiling a little tolerantly, "they'll
photograph it and enlarge the photograph, and label it 'Exhibit A' or
'Exhibit B' or something like that--and file it away in the archives
with the fifty or more just like it that are already in their
collection."

"That's what I thought," observed Jimmie Dale. He took Carruthers by the
lapel of the coat. "I'd like a photograph of that. I'd like it so much
that I've got to have it. Know the chap that does that work for the
police?"

"Yes," admitted Carruthers.

"Very good!" said Jimmie Dale crisply, "Get an extra print of the
enlargement from him then--for a consideration--whatever he asks--I'll
pay for it."

"But what for?" demanded Carruthers. "I don't understand."

"Because," said Jimmie Dale very seriously, "put it down to imagination
or whatever you like, I think I smell something fishy here."

"You WHAT!" exclaimed Carruthers in amazement. "You're not joking, are
you, Jimmie?"

Jimmie Dale laughed shortly. "It's so far from a joke," he said, in
a low tone, "that I want your word you'll get that photograph into my
hands by to-morrow afternoon, no matter what transpires in the meantime.
And look here, Carruthers, don't think I'm playing the silly thickhead,
and trying to mystify you. I'm no detective or anything like that. I've
just got an idea that apparently hasn't occurred to any one else--and,
of course, I may be all wrong. If I am, I'm not going to say a word even
to you, because it wouldn't be playing fair with some one else; if I'm
right the MORNING NEWS-ARGUS gets the biggest scoop of the century. Will
you go in on that basis?"

Carruthers put out his hand impulsively. "If you're in earnest,
Jimmie--you bet!"

"Good!" returned Jimmie Dale. "The photograph by to-morrow afternoon
then. And now--"

"And now," said Caruthers, "I've got to hurry over to the office and get
a write-up man at work. Will you come along, or meet me at headquarters
later? Clayton said in two hours he'd--"

"Neither," said Jimmie Dale. "I'm not intereste