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Rh perimentally, emitted a faint groan, and threw one arm up over his head. Tony slept on undisturbed, and the other figure remained motionless.

With a quick, noiseless movement the detective sat up, threw the dirty blankets from him, and tiptoeing across the floor laid one hand on Pete's shoulder and with the other felt for his heart. It had ceased to beat.

Odell stepped back dizzily and leaned against the table for support. The shock of his discovery combined with his long fast and the effect of the blow which he had received made him faint and giddy; but by a supreme effort he mastered the weakness which was swiftly overcoming him and straightened.

The thought of food had become all at once repugnant to him, with that dead man sitting there; but he reminded himself sternly that he might have need of all the strength he could muster before he and Miller were safely away from this hideous spot and back at their posts once more.

A box of matches lay on the table, and pocketing that and the knife which he had secreted beneath the mattress of the couch, he moved over to the shelf near the stove. An old newspaper was spread upon it, and in this he wrapped the bread and ham that remained.

He was turning to the door when a fresh thought made him pause. If his pockets were empty Miller's were probably in a like condition, and there was no means of ascertaining how far they were from the city.

Money was an absolute essential, and he dared not attempt a search of Tony's pockets lest he awaken. There was no fear of that as far as Pete was concerned, the de-