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er had such a thing hit me before. But I lost him slick as a whistle. I was in the bar of the hotel, and he was sitting in the lobby. I had my eye right on him, and he had no idea I was following him. Then, all at once, after I'd turned to the barkeeper just long enough to order a soft drink, I looked around, and he was gone. I combed the house from top to bottom, but it was no use. He had ducked me clean." "What time was that?" "Twelve-forty-five." "And then what?" "The chief gave me your message, and I went back to keep a look on Eidstein's place. I didn't think he'd show there again, but he did--at four o'clock and stayed there almost half an hour. After that, he went to the station, me right after him. We both caught the five o'clock for Washington." "Did you talk with Eidstein?" "No, sir; had no orders. But he's no loan-shark, and no fence. Eidstein's on the level. We know all about him." "How did Morley look when he showed up there the second time?" "Done up, sir, fagged out. That's what makes me uneasy. He'd been up to something that shook him, something that rattled his teeth. He looked it." "Pawning something, perhaps?" "That's just it--just the way I figured it--something he knew was risky--something that made him sweat blood." "Well, it's all right," Braceway concluded. "There's nothing for you to worry about. It may be that losing him was the best thing you ever did. I'm not sure, but it may turn out so." Delaney, greatly relieved, thanked him and left. Braceway hurried to the sick man's room and, having been ushered in by Miss Martin, found him, fully dressed, sitting on the edge of the bed. He was still pale and looked tired, but his voice was strong. He was setting down a half-empty glass of water on a tray near the bed, and his hand, although it wavered a little, had lost the helpless tremulousness Braceway had noticed at noon. "Hello!" said the visitor. "You're a wonder! I expected to find you prostrated." "Oh, no," Bristow answered quietly. "I knew the rest and sleep would bring me around all right, and Miss Martin has given me a twentieth of a grain of strychnine. What's the news?" "I'll sketch it to you. But how about dinner?" "I've arranged for us to have it up here, if you don't mind?" Braceway agreed, and Miss Martin straightened up the other room, where the meal was served. Bristow, restricting himself to clam broth, crackers, and coffee, heard the sto
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