draw
a salary of twenty-five thousand a year, no. I am in business for
myself, and make more than that. You may satisfy yourself by
examining the books in my office if you like. By intimation, at
least, you are accusing me of murder. Now answer me a question,
please. What was the time of the crime?"

CHAPTER XV

THE TRUTH IN PART

The chief dropped back into his chair with the utmost complacency.
This was not the kind of man with whom mere bluster counted.

"Haney says Saturday morning," he answered. "The coroner's physician
agrees with that."

"Yesterday morning," Mr. Wynne mused; then, after a moment: "I think,
Chief, you know Mr. Birnes here? And that you would accept a
statement of his as correct?"

"Yes," the chief agreed with a glance at Mr. Birnes.

"Mr. Birnes, where was I all day Saturday?" Mr. Wynne queried,
without so much as looking around at him.

"You were in your house from eleven o'clock Friday night until fifteen
minutes of nine o'clock Saturday morning," was the response. "You left
there at that time, and took the surface car at Thirty-fourth Street
to your office. You left your office at five minutes of one, took
luncheon alone at the Savarin, and returned to your office at two
o'clock. You remained there until five, or a few minutes past, then
returned home. At eight you--"

"Is that sufficient?" interrupted Mr. Wynne. "Does that constitute
an alibi?"

"Yes," he admitted; "but how do you know all this, Birnes?"

"Mr. Birnes and the men of his agency have favored me with the most
persistent attentions during the last few days," Mr. Wynne continued
promptly. "He has had two men constantly on watch at my office, day
and night, and two others constantly on watch at my home, day and
night. There are two there now--one in a rear room of the basement,
and another in the pantry, with the doors locked on the outside.
Their names are Claflin and Sutton!"

So, that was it! It came home to Mr. Birnes suddenly. Claflin and
Sutton had been tricked into the house on some pretext, and locked
in! Confound their stupidity!

"Why are they locked up?" demanded the chief, with kindling interest.
"Why have you been watched?"

"I think, perhaps, Mr. Birnes will agree with me when I say that that
has nothing whatever to do with this crime," replied Mr. Wynne
easily.

"That's for me to decide," declared the chief bluntly.

There was a long pause. Mr. Czenki was leaning forward in