ile, strolled across
and seated himself in a big chair near the fireplace. Resting his
elbows on the arms of the chair, and interlacing his fingers in
front of him, he looked at Morgan.

"Well?" he said.

Morgan unbuttoned his coat and exhibited his badge. "I am Detective
Sergeant Morgan of the Chicago Police Department."

"Oh, yes--Dave Morgan."

Morgan looked at Marsh sharply. "You've heard of me before, have
you?" he said.

"Not until early Tuesday morning," smiled Marsh. "Then I heard one
of the policemen refer to the fact that this would be a job for Dave
Morgan. Evidently you have quite a reputation here in Chicago, Mr.
Morgan."

"Among crooks--yes," snapped Morgan. The easy attitude of the other
man was just a little puzzling. Morgan, however, was inclined to
attribute it to his confidence that they were not in a position to
actually fasten any guilt upon him. He suspected that the man was
playing a game, and this not only nettled him, but served to
strengthen his suspicions. Morgan went on.

"I have been assigned to this murder case upstairs, Mr. Marsh. After
considerable investigation I find it will be necessary to ask you a
few questions."

Marsh nodded but said nothing.

Morgan sat silent for a moment, as if considering how to begin.
Then, without apparently looking at Marsh, he suddenly said, "It's a
long jump from Mexico to Chicago."

Marsh unclasped his fingers for a moment and looked hard at Morgan.
Morgan caught what he believed to be a start, but gave no indication
that it had made an impression upon him.

"I was wondering," he continued, slowly, "what had brought you such
a long way."

"Obviously, Mr. Morgan, if you know that much about me, you must
also know that I came here on business."

"When do you attend to your business, Mr. Marsh?" asked Morgan, now
looking him in the eye.

"At various times of the day," replied Marsh. "Whenever I can get
appointments with the people I am negotiating with. I don't quite
understand the trend of these questions, but I might say that I was
downtown on business the greater part of yesterday afternoon."

"Does standing on a Michigan Avenue curb constitute the principal
part of your business, Mr. Marsh?"

"Well, I sometimes fill in my time like that until I am sure the
people who are interested in my movements have gone on about their
own business."

It was Morgan's turn to look disconcerted. Evidently he had a clever
man to deal with, and h