y."

"Yes'm," said Mr. Gubb, "it often does. But, however, there's
something you'd ought to know right away about Henry."

The young woman stared wide-eyed at Mr. Gubb for a moment; she turned
as white as her shirtwaist.

"Henry is dead!" she cried, and collapsed into Mr. Gubb's long, thin
arms.

Mr. Gubb, the inert form of the young woman in his arms, glanced
around with a startled gaze. He stood miserably, not knowing what to
do, when suddenly he saw Policeman O'Toole coming toward him down the
hall. Policeman O'Toole was leading by the arm a man whose wrists bore
clanking handcuffs.

"What's this now?" asked the policeman none too gently, as he saw the
bathrobed Mr. Gubb holding the fainting woman in his arms.

"I am exceedingly glad you have come," said Mr. Gubb. "The only
meaning into it, is that this is Mrs. H. Smitz, widow-lady, fainted
onto me against my will and wishes."

"I was only askin'," said Policeman O'Toole politely enough.

"You shouldn't ask such things until you're asked to ask," said Mr.
Gubb.

After looking into Mr. Gubb's room to see that there was no easy means
of escape, O'Toole pushed his prisoner into the room and took the limp
form of Mrs. Smitz from Mr. Gubb, who entered the room and closed the
door.

"I may as well say what I want to say right now," said the handcuffed
man as soon as he was alone with Mr. Gubb. "I've heard of Detective
Gubb, off and on, many a time, and as soon as I got into this trouble
I said, 'Gubb's the man that can get me out if any one can.' My name
is Herman Wiggins."

"Glad to meet you," said Mr. Gubb, slipping his long legs into his
trousers.

"And I give you my word for what it is worth," continued Mr. Wiggins,
"that I'm as innocent of this crime as the babe unborn."

"What crime?" asked Mr. Gubb.

"Why, killing Hen Smitz--what crime did you think?" said Mr. Wiggins.
"Do I look like a man that would go and murder a man just because--"

He hesitated and Mr. Gubb, who was slipping his suspenders over his
bony shoulders, looked at Mr. Wiggins with keen eyes.

"Well, just because him and me had words in fun," said Mr. Wiggins, "I
leave it to you, can't a man say words in fun once in a while?"

"Certainly sure," said Mr. Gubb.

"I guess so," said Mr. Wiggins. "Anybody'd know a man don't mean all
he says. When I went and told Hen Smitz I'd murder him as sure as
green apples grow on a tree, I was just fooling. But this fool
policeman--"

"Mr. O