fessor Brierly asked:

"Do you know what you were arrested for, Mr. Smith?"

"Naw! Somebody must be makin' a holler about a crime wave.
Whenever they do that the cops get busy and make a pinch. They got
it easy with a guy like me. I'll be frank with you, Prof, I got a
record. But what of it? I been runnin' straight, lately."

Professor Brierly did not try to interrupt him. He was enormously
interested in this first-hand contact with a prominent member of
the criminal classes. He said, gently:

"I will tell you what you were arrested for, Smith. You are
charged with murdering August Schurman."

Smith's mouth opened wide, as did his eyes. If this was acting it
was very well done. The look of surprise faded and the smile, a
little forced perhaps, was once more in evidence.

"Don't give me a laugh, Professor. You got a reputation for bein'
on the level. Don't let the police bull you into lettin' 'em frame
me. Me commit murder? Ask the police and if they're honest,
they'll tell you I never carried a rod or anything else with me.
Ain't that so, Sarge?" he asked.

The police officer merely stared at him, he did not answer.

Professor Brierly was looking intently at the prisoner. He arose
and asked the prisoner to sit in a chair where he would face the
light that came in from a tall window. Here, Professor Brierly
stepped close to him and, in the manner of a dentist, asked him to
open his mouth.

Everybody, including the prisoner, looked at the old scientist
with surprise. 'Fingy' had recovered his composure by this time.
He asked Professor Brierly:

"What is it, Prof, is it me tonsils or me teeth? I had me tonsils
out and a tooth carpenter recently socked me a hell of a wad for
fixin' up me grinders."

When the old man did not respond to this humor, he said,
resignedly:

"Oh, all right, Prof, you're the doctor. I don't know what the
hell this is about but--"

He threw his head back and opened his mouth wide. Professor
Brierly peered intently into the mouth of the prisoner. He stepped
back and said to Conners and the assistant district attorney:

"I am through with Mr. Smith; I have no further questions to ask.
I should be glad, however, to stay here and--"

Conners turned to the prisoner savagely. His apparent good humor
was gone. This was the kind of business he understood; he was at
home cross-examining prisoners. He would show Professor Brierly
how to make a crook wilt.

"'Fingy,' where was you on the