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134 written, as you can tell if you look at the postmark, and that reference to the sixth may mean anything; it just happens, however, that that was the date on which Julian Chalmers was killed."

"Great Jehoshaphat!" Captain Lewis almost leaped from his chair. "The Assistant D. A. has tried to get him in more than one vice clean-up but we never thought we could hang a thing like this on him! I'll have him down here to-night and sweat him out. Anything in the rest of these notes of a threatening nature?"

"No. They are merely to make or break appointments," Odell smiled. "Don't be too sure of landing your bird here to-night, Captain."

His superior, who had just pressed a button on his desk, turned to him with a muttered exclamation very like an oath.

You don't mean that he's beaten it?" he demanded. Did that Gene get away from your man and warn him?"

On the contrary, Gene has made no move to communicate with him in any way since I started the investigation. That is why I am quite certain that he managed in some manner to reach him either last night or early this morning and caution him that Lorne and the attorney had decided to call us in," Odell explained. "He lives at the Bellemonde Annex up near the park, but I don't believe you will find him at home this evening."

Nevertheless the captain issued a curt order to the plainclothesman who appeared in obedience to the summons, and then turned once more to Odell.

"Couldn't you get anything out of the boy himself; this Gene?"