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he police。〃
Chan reentered the room。 〃As I was saying；〃 John Quincy began； 〃this fellow Leatherbee was standing by the table； and …〃
〃Most sorry；〃 said Chan； 〃but the remainder of that interesting recital is to be told at the station…house。〃
〃At the station…house！〃 cried John Quincy。
〃Precisely the fact。 I am presuming you do me the great honor to e with me to that spot。 The man Leatherbee is apprehended aboard boat Niagara on verge of sailing to Australia。 Woman are also apprehended in act of tearful farewell。 Both now relax at police station。〃
〃I thought so；〃 said John Quincy。
〃One more amazing fact es into light；〃 added Chan。 〃In pocket of Leatherbee is the page ruthlessly extracted from guest book。 Kindly procure your hat。 Outside I have waiting for me one Ford automobile。〃
CHAPTER XII
Tom Brade The Blackbirder
IN HALLET'S room at headquarters they found the Captain of Detectives seated grimly behind his desk staring at two reluctant visitors。 One of the visitors； Mr。 Stephen Leatherbee； stared back with a look of sullen defiance。 Mrs。 Arlene pton； late of Broadway and the Automat； was dabbing at her eyes with a tiny handkerchief。 John Quincy perceived that she had carelessly allowed tears to play havoc with her make…up。
〃Hello； Charlie；〃 said Hallet。 〃Mr。 Winterslip； I'm glad you came along。 As you may have heard； we've just pulled this young man off the Niagara。 He seemed inclined to leave us。 We found this in his pocket。〃
He put into Chan's hand a time…yellowed page obviously from Dan Winterslip's guest book。 John Quincy and Chan bent over it together。 The inscription was written in an old…fashioned hand； and the ink was fading fast。 It ran：
〃In Hawaii all things are perfect； none more so than the hospitality I have enjoyed in this house。 … Joseph E。 Gleason； 124 Little Bourke Street； Melbourne； Victoria。〃
John Quincy turned away； shocked。 No wonder that page had been ripped out！ Evidently Mr。 Gleason had not enjoyed the privilege of studying A。 S。 Hill's book on the principles of rhetoric。 How could one thing be more perfect than another？
〃Before I take a statement from these people；〃 Hallet was saying； 〃what's all this about a brooch？〃
John Quincy laid the piece of jewelry on the captain's desk。 He explained that it had been given Mrs。 pton by Dan Winterslip； and told of its being discovered on the floor of the lanai。
〃When was it found？〃 demanded the captain； glaring his disapproval。
〃Most regrettable misunderstanding；〃 put in Chan hastily。 〃Now pletely wiped out。 The littlest said； sooner repairs are made。 Mr。 Winterslip has already tonight examined this woman …〃
〃Oh； he has； has he！〃 Hallet turned angrily on John Quincy。 〃Just who is conducting this case？〃
〃Well；〃 began John Quincy unfortably； 〃it seemed best to the family …〃
〃Damn the family！〃 Hallet exploded。 〃This affair is in my hands …〃
〃Please；〃 broke in Chan soothingly。 〃Waste of time to winnow that out。 Already I have boldness to offer suitable rebukes。〃
〃Well； you talked with the woman； then；〃 said Hallet。 〃What did you get out of her？〃
〃Say； listen；〃 put in Mrs。 pton。 〃I want to take back anything I told this bright…eyed boy。〃
〃Lied to him； eh？〃 said Hallet。
〃Why not？ What right did he have to question me？〃 Her voice became wheedling。 〃I wouldn't lie to a cop；〃 she added。
〃You bet your life you wouldn't；〃 Hallet remarked。 〃Not if you know what's good for you。 However； I want to hear what you told this amateur detective。 Sometimes lies are significant。 Go on； Winterslip。〃
John Quincy was deeply annoyed。 What was this mix…up he had let himself in for； anyhow？ He had a notion to rise； and with a cold bow； leave the room。 Something told him； however； that he couldn't get away with it。
Very much on his dignity； he repeated the woman's story to him。 Winterslip had e to her cottage the night before to make a final appeal for the brooch。 On his promise to replace it with something else； she had given it up。 He had taken it and left her at nine…thirty。
〃That was the last she saw of him；〃 finished John Quincy。
Hallet smiled grimly。 〃So she told you； at any rate。 But she admits she was lying。 If you'd had the sense to leave this sort of thing to the proper people …〃 He wheeled on the woman。 〃You were lying； weren't you？〃
She nodded nonchalantly。 〃In a way。 Dan did leave my cottage at nine…thirty … or a little later。 But I went with him … to his house。 Oh； it was perfectly proper。 Steve went along。〃
〃Oh； yes … Steve。〃 Hallet glanced at Mr。 Leatherbee； who did not appear quite the ideal chaperon。 〃Now； young woman； go back to the beginning。 Nothing but the truth。〃
〃So help me；〃 said Mrs。 pton。 She attempted a devastating smile。 〃I wouldn't lie to you； Captain … you know I wouldn't。 I realize you're a big man out here； and …〃
〃Give me your story；〃 cut in Hallet coldly。
〃Sure。 Dan dropped into my place for a chat last night about nine； and he found Mr。 Leatherbee there。 He was jealous as sin； Dan was … honest to God； I don't know why。 Me and Steve are just pals … eh； Steve？〃
〃Pals； that's all；〃 said Steve。
〃But anyhow； Dan flew off the handle； and we had one grand blow…up。 I tried to explain Steve was just stopping over on his way to Australia； and Dan wants to know what's detaining him。 So Steve tells about how he lost all his money at bridge on the boat ing out here。 'Will you move on；' says Dan； 'if I pay your passage？' And Steve answers he will； like a shot。 Am I getting this straight； Steve？〃
〃Absolutely；〃 approved Mr。 Leatherbee。 〃It's just as she says； Captain。 Winterslip offered to give … loan me passage money。 It was only a loan。 And I agreed to sail on the Niagara to…night。 He said he had a little cash in his safe at the house； and invited Arlene and me to go back with him …〃
〃Which we did；〃 said Arlene。 〃Dan opened the safe and took out a roll of bills。 He peeled off three hundred dollars。 You didn't often see him in that frame of mind … but as I was saying； he give the money to Steve。 Then Steve begins to beef a little … yes； you did； Steve … and wants to know what he's going to do in Australia。 Says he don't know a soul down there and he'll just plain starve。 Dan was sore at first； then he laughs a nasty little laugh and goes over and tears that there page out of the guest book and gives it to Steve。 'Look him up and tell him you're a friend of mine；' he says。 'Maybe he'll give you a job。 The name is Gleason。 I've disliked him for twenty years； though he don't know that！'〃
〃A dirty dig at me；〃 Leatherbee explained。 〃I took the loan and this Gleason's address and we started to go。 Winterslip said he wanted to talk to Arlene； so I came away alone。 That was about ten o'clock。〃
〃Where did you go？〃 Hallet asked。
〃I went back to my hotel down…town。 I had to pack。〃
〃Back to your hotel； eh？ Can you prove it？〃
Leatherbee considered。 〃I don't know。 The boy at the desk may remember when I came in； though I didn't stop there for my key … I had it with me。 Anyhow； I didn't see Winterslip after that。 I just went ahead with my preparations to sail on the Niagara； and I must say you've got your nerve …〃
〃Never mind that！〃 Hallet turned