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Rh cidentally protect the real criminal, who had used the young person you mention as a mere tool, from the consequences of what he himself had instigated?" Odell laughed in the other's lowering face. "Let him go scot-free with the extortion he had practiced upon one member of the family in order to keep from the rest a knowledge of the truth? You are not serious, Mr. Drew. The young person may be in too deep, as it was meant he should be, for him to extricate himself; but if the matter is not exposed he may be in considerably deeper before he is through. Even if the affair did not come within the bounds of the case I am investigating, I think that I should find myself compelled to take a hand."

For a moment there was silence while Drew blew a series of smoke rings thoughtfully in the air.

"So Gene lied," he said at last. "He told me that he had destroyed that note. You have it in your possession, Sergeant?"

"No. I turned it in to my chief to-night to be brought to the attention of the bureau which it would ordinarily concern if I say the word." Odell watched the other's face narrowly. "I may add that no letter, no telephone message, nothing but my request in person would enable me to regain possession of it."

"But you could regain it?" The eagerness in Drew's tones was unrestrained.

"It is highly probable, Mr. Drew."

"Could anything induce you to do so? I mean nothing so crude as bribery, Sergeant. When two men each possess something that the other wants and their need is equally