'Fingy' Smith was a small, dark man who greeted the assembly cheerfully. Professor Brierly looked at him curiously. The little finger on his left hand, was missing; it had been shot away in a brawl. The lobe of his left ear was also missing. Jimmy later learned that it had been chewed off in a rough and tumble fight in a Chinese joint on the Pacific coast. Sergeant Conners greeted him pleasantly, the assistant district attorney, somberly. He did not hold with being on pleasant terms with criminals. Conners said: "'Fingy', this is Professor Brierly, he is gonna ask you some questions." "How de do, Prof. I heard about ye. You got a reputash. Don't get too intimate with the dicks. His response to Heath's steady look was a cheerful smile. Professor Brierly asked: "Do you know what you were arrested for, Mr. Smith?" "Naw! Somebody must be makin' a holler about a crime wave. Whenever they do that the cops get busy and make a pinch. They got it easy with a guy like me. I'll be frank with you, Prof, I got a record. But what of it? I been runnin' straight, lately." Professor Brierly did not try to interrupt him. He was enormously interested in this first-hand contact with a prominent member of the criminal classes. He said, gently: "I will tell you what you were arrested for, Smith. You are charged with murdering August Schurman." Smith's mouth opened wide, as did his eyes. If this was acting it was very well done. The look of surprise faded and the smile, a little forced perhaps, was once more in evidence. "Don't give me a laugh, Professor. You got a reputation for bein' on the level. Don't let the police bull you into lettin' 'em frame me. Me commit murder? Ask the police and if they're honest, they'll tell you I never carried a rod or anything else with me. Ain't that so, Sarge?" he asked. The police officer merely stared at him, he did not answer. Professor Brierly was looking intently at the prisoner. He arose and asked the prisoner to sit in a chair where he would face the light that came in from a tall window. Here, Professor Brierly stepped close to him and, in the manner of a dentist, asked him to open his mouth. Everybody, including the prisoner, looked at the old scientist with surprise. 'Fingy' had recovered his composure by this time. He asked Professor Brierly: "What is it, Prof, is it me tonsils or me teeth? I had me tonsils out and a tooth carpenter recently socked me a hell of a wad for fixin' up me grinders." When the old man did not respond to this humor, he said, resignedly: "Oh, all right, Prof, you're the doctor. I don't know what the hell this is about but--" He threw his head back and opened his mouth wide. Professor Brierly peered intently into the mouth of the prisoner. He stepped back and said to Conners and the assistant district attorney: "I am through with Mr. Smith; I have no further questions to ask. I should be glad, however, to stay here and--"