parable breach of faith--if nothing
worse. And he turned fiercely on Britz.

"So you tried to entrap me!" he exclaimed with bitter emphasis. "But you
didn't succeed, did you? And from now on I shall remain in the hands of
Mr. Luckstone, my attorney."

"That is the sensible thing to do," commended the lawyer.

"Why, he threatened to handcuff me and take me to jail if I didn't tell
him all about Mr. Whitmore's death," complained Collins.

Luckstone turned to face Britz. He found the detective as imperturbable
as though he were but a disinterested spectator in this exciting drama.

"So you had it in mind to make another prisoner?" the lawyer said
sneeringly. "You've got Mr. Beard in the Tombs and you have Mrs. Collins
at Headquarters--"

"What--he arrested my wife?" Collins asked excitedly. "Is she accused of
murder?"

"Calm yourself," the lawyer cautioned him. "This detective is so
befuddled he doesn't know whether he's walking on his head or his feet.
He's just running around helter-skelter arresting everybody he comes in
contact with, regardless of whether he has sufficient evidence or not.
In fact, he hasn't any evidence--not a particle against anyone. But he
hopes to browbeat somebody into incriminating himself or somebody
else--it doesn't matter whom so long as the victim will help the police
to make out a case that will justify an indictment by the Grand Jury.
Mr. Detective-Lieutenant Britz is on a grand fishing expedition,
throwing out bait--"

"You are mistaken," Britz now interrupted the lawyer. "I am not throwing
out bait. I am about to draw in my lines, with the fish securely
hooked."

CHAPTER XVIII

Collins and the lawyer exchanged questioning glances. What new trick was
this detective about to play? The positive tone employed by Britz in
announcing that he had hooked his fish, worried them. The provoking
coolness of the detective aggravated them beyond measure.

"Evidently you are preparing to draw in a whole netful of fish," said
Luckstone experimentally.

"I didn't cast a net," Britz informed him. "I threw out single lines. Do
you wish to be present when I draw them in?"

"I shall be glad to be there," the lawyer replied.

"And if Mr. Collins will also promise to be on hand I can save him the
discomforts of a Headquarters' cell," said Britz.

"Then Mr. Collins is not the fish you are after?" asked Luckstone.

"You are better acquainted with the game in this criminal aquarium than