w glanced at the
number over the transmitter. "Tell him to call up Gramercy Hill 9749
and let whoever I station here, know to whom and to what number Morphy
is talking in New York. Get that?"

"Sure," came back over the wires. "Sure, Chief. You want to pinch the
fellow he's connecting with?"

"I certainly do," said Drew. "We can work it this way. As soon as I
find out from Frick where Morphy or anybody else is 'phoning from the
prison, I can get a man over there in time to make the arrest. The
superintendent at Gramercy Hill will help us out if the call comes
through his exchange. He can get the girl to stall for a minute or two.
I'll send Delaney here to hold this end of the wire. You keep him
posted as to developments. O'Toole, yes! He's planted in the alley back
of the house. He can't report. All the others are all right?"

Drew hung up with a flip of the receiver. He backed out of the booth
and hurried around the corner. He reached the iron-grilled gate of the
mansion with his head down and the snow seeping between his collar and
his neck.

"Rotten night!" said the Central Office man at the door. "I don't think
we'll hear anything from anybody. Them gunmen like the backrooms of
saloons too well to pull off a gun-play in this storm, Inspector."

"You never can tell," said Drew, shaking his coat and hurrying toward
the stairway which led to Loris Stockbridge's apartment.

Delaney opened the door after a repeated knock in Morse code. He eyed
his chief. He motioned toward the inner rooms. "All quiet," he said
with a broad smile. "Them turtle doves sure like to be left alone."

"And you would too! Especially if you lost your only relative the night
before--lost him in the way she lost hers."

The big operative gulped down the thrust. "What did you find out?" he
asked in a husky whisper.

"Get your coat on. Get over to that drug-store and plant near that
booth--Gramercy Hill 9749. Frick, at the prison, is going to call that
booth up as soon as Morphy or anybody else there tries to get New York.
If Frick gives you a number, call up the superintendent at Gramercy
Hill and tell him who you are. He's on duty all night. He'll give you
the address of the number, and stall the call. That'll give you time to
rush to the address and grab your man."

"I'll grab him, Chief!" rumbled Delaney, reaching for his storm coat
which was supposed to be fur-lined. "Leave that to me!" he added. "Jus'
leave it tu me!"

Drew eyed t