g it to the chief of police, "looks more like it, doesn't it?"

Greenleaf examined the object the other had put into his hand. It was a
metal button of the kind ordinarily worn on overall jumpers, and clinging
to it were a few fragments of the dark blue stuff of which overalls are
commonly made. On the back of the button were stamped in white the words:
"National Overalls Company."

"Where did you get this?" asked the chief.

"I picked it up in the room where the dead girl was; and I'd forgotten it
until this minute. It was on the floor a few yards from the body. You saw
me when I picked it up. You were at the telephone."

"That's right. I remember now. By cracky! That came off of some darky's
working clothes. That's sure!"

"The only trouble is," puzzled Bristow, "your negro doesn't wear overalls
at night after he has finished work. He dresses up and loafs down town."

"That's true on Saturday nights. Other nights they don't take the trouble
to change. And last night was Monday night. No, sir! That's our first
clue, that button; the first sign we've had of the murderer."

"Keep it," Bristow told him. "I'm not as confident as you are, but you
might have a look at the blouse of Perry's suit of overalls. We can't
over-look anything now."

Deep in thought he gazed at the fire. Greenleaf got up and walked to the
window, which gave a magnificent view of the great Carolina mountains in
the distance. He was not admiring the mountains, however. He was
wondering why Mr. Morley had not arrived.

"By the way," he said, "can't I get a drink of water?"

He was in the dining room on his way to the kitchen before Bristow roused
himself from his reverie.

"Wait!" he called to the chief. "Let me get it for you."

Greenleaf, however, had gone into the kitchen. Bristow followed him and
took a tumbler from a rack on the wall.

The chief drew the tumbler full twice from the faucet and gulped down the
water. His hand shook. He was very nervous.

As they turned to leave the kitchen, he uttered an exclamation and,
stooping down swiftly, pulled something from under the stove. When he
straightened up, he had in his hand another metal button. He turned it
about in his fingers, studying it.

"It looks like the one you found in Number Five," he said.

They compared the two. They were identical. The two men stared at each
other.

"What do you make of that?" asked Greenleaf.

"I was wondering," Bristow replied, thinking quickly,