Then Lamotte yielded.

"You know everything," he said, with a dejected shrug. "Either you are
a wizard, or Gregor and Rossi are open-mouthed fools."

Steingall smiled inscrutably, but Clancy, who had remained strangely
quiet, did not relax the close attention he was giving to the
Frenchman's least word or action. It was about this time that Curtis
noticed the little detective's air of complete absorption, and he
wondered at it, since Clancy and his chief seemed to have unfolded the
whole mystery in a way that was at once admirable and bewildering.

"Then why don't you exercise your wits, man? I have been candor itself
in my statement, but it is your own words which will be taken down by
the police captain here, as you are charged in his presence with
complicity in the murder, and they will be on record for or against you
when you are brought to trial."

"You want me to admit that what you have said is true?"

"Just as you wish," said Steingall, half contemptuously. "I now charge
you formally with taking part in the murder of Mr. Hunter. If you have
anything to say, say it, and it will be written at once, and signed by
you, if you choose."

He waited a moment, and then turned aside.

"Put him in the cells," he said. "I shall not trouble farther about
him now."

"One moment, monsieur," exclaimed Lamotte, evidently believing that he
was seriously jeopardizing his life by not taking the advice given so
openly. "I admit that you are well informed, but I must add that I was
ignorant of the murder till nearly half an hour after it had occurred."

"Pooh, that's no use. Make a full statement, or take the
consequences." Steingall's tone was so offhanded that Lamotte was
afraid he had lost a good opportunity of saving his neck.

"But what is there to tell?" he cried.

"Just what happened outside the Central Hotel and afterwards."

"I brought Mr. Hunter there, and nodded to Martiny and Rossi, who were
waiting on the sidewalk, to show that he was inside the car. I
remained at the wheel, and anyone can perceive that my position made it
impossible to see what was going on when the door opened. Martiny was
nearest to me, and I am sure he never used a knife, so it must have
been Rossi. Is that correct?"

"I believe so, absolutely. What next?"

"Martiny said 'Vite, allez!' so I shoved in the clutch and made off at
top speed. In Fifth Avenue I glanced over my shoulder to look at Mr.
Hunter, and see whether