I've been here something like an hour and have put
her through a regular third degree; but I've had my labor for my
pains, as the saying is. She has told me nothing except her opinion of
the newspapers and the police."
"Miss Vale will see you, sir," said the man servant, returning.
"And so you've given it up?" queried the investigator of Osborne.
The big headquarters man shrugged his shoulders.
"Hardly," said he. "I've set a time on the thing. We scarcely like to
go to extremes, as you perhaps know; but unless a clean breast of the
matter is made, as far as the party knows," modifying his language
because of the listening servant, "the same party will know what the
inside of a cell is like by this time to-morrow."
"You really mean to make an arrest?"
"If we are forced to--yes."
Ashton-Kirk followed him to the door:
"Extend the time limit," suggested he. "Make it the day after
to-morrow, and," elevating his brows, "I don't think that you'll need
to do anything unpleasant."
"Ah," said Osborne, "you're onto something!" He regarded the other
questioningly for a moment, then broke into a grin. "No use to ask
what it is, I suppose? I thought not. Well," reflectively, and in a
lowered tone, "it won't do any harm to oblige you, if the front office
is willing.
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