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52 "I believe he did get in some sort of trouble later with a trust company or bank or something, but as I told you he was a mere acquaintance; I had been introduced to him in a restaurant only a night or two before."

"You were then about twenty, I think, Mr. Chalmers?"

"I was. I must ask you again what all this has to do with your investigation." Gene's eyes began to glow sullenly. "May I suggest that you are wasting valuable time?"

"Mr. Chalmers, that is my affair. To return to your friend Farley Drew; when did you first bring him to your home and introduce him to your sisters?"

A touch of sternness had crept into the detective's tone; and the glow in the eyes of the young man changed to a furtive glint.

"I say, you leave my sisters out of this!" He half rose from his chair. "I'll tell you anything you want to know about myself, but I won't discuss them with you."

"That does not answer my question, Mr. Chalmers; and I doubt if your solicitude is as much for your sisters as for yourself." Odell eyed the squirming young man narrowly. "I represent the law, and there will be a lot more of our men here presently. It won't get you anywhere to try to oppose me."

"I have no reason for opposing you, Sergeant," Gene responded hastily. "It sort of gets my goat, though, to be hammered at like this when, by Jove, I'm the injured party. I introduced Farley Drew to my people about a year ago."

"And did you present him to your brother at the same time?"

"To Julian? Yes." He tried to reply with the old