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92 tell me how the other end was cut? By what sort of a tool?"

Each of the men took a piece of the wire and examined it doubtfully. After a moment the smaller one looked up with a grin.

"I give it up, boss," he said. "It wasn't a clipper or the ends would be pinched together more; these are all frayed out. Looks as if it had been chewed. What do you say, Bill?"

Bill proved all at once to be a person of tact as well as discernment.

"It was either one of two things; an electric circular saw or an electric file. If I've tumbled to the game right, mister, I figure there wouldn't have been room to work the circular saw." He winked expansively toward the portrait "I guess you'll find that the party used an electric file, a small one but high-powered, and kept her hummin'."

"How long would it take to cut through one of these wires with the file you mention?" Odell asked. "Five or six minutes."

"Does it make much noise?" the detective persisted.

"Only a low buzzin' and dronin'."

"Hard to operate?"

"No. A child could work it if it was taught how, but it takes strength to hold her in position once she gets to goin' so fast you can't see her. I wouldn't like to try it in any awk'ard position,"—again he glanced at the portrait—"and I'm the strongest man at Kenny's."

"That's all I wanted to know." Odell put the pieces of wire back into his pocket. "You can go now. You've got forty-five minutes to yourselves."