Page:Arthur Stringer--The House of Intrigue.djvu/370

350 "That man Washburn did," was the old weasel's retort.

I remembered what Clarissa Bartlett had told me, and once more I found considerable to think over.

"Then do you mean to say that Wendy Washburn also paid you to waylay me after leaving that office in the Asteroid Building?"

I could see Big Ben's eyes challenging the smaller man. But it was plain that he wasn't to be intimidated.

"He did."

"But how did you know I was going to be in that building, or at that office?"

Again Big Ben tried to silence the little old weasel. But things had gone too far for silence.

"I didn't know you were going to that office. I'd been posted outside of this man Locke's office and told to follow you."

"You'd been posted there?" I repeated, turning slowly about on Big Ben. "Then this old man knew I was going to bump into just what I did bump into, on that particular afternoon?" I demanded, facing the big detective.

Big Ben shifted uneasily from one foot to the other.

"What's the use o' messing around with small