“No, I called first and after I had gone out I saw Mr. Breese walk in.” He shook his head reflectively. “Very funny chap, Spence. I had a long talk with him.” “Well, I am listening!” the Russian boomed. “Tell me!” “Well,” drawled Smith, “I’ll tell you exactly what happened. I got a letter saying this: ‘Call at Calle C and 3rd--Charles Spence.’ I discovered that Mr. Spence was a rather gangly chap, with very sharp eyes. If I’m not mistaken, it’s T. B. with him, and he came down originally for the climate. Well, he hemmed and hawed a lot before he got started, and then hemmed and hawed a lot more when he did. What it all came down to was this: he wanted to know how much there was in it for him if he told all he knew about the Breese murder. I had to tell him there was no reward, but that I’d see to it that he was well paid. In fact, I said I’d be willing to give a year’s salary myself just to clear the case. He hemmed and hawed some more.” “But didn’t he give you any inkling of what he knew?” interrupted the Russian. “He made it pretty plain,” replied Smith, “that he got his information from Trenholm.” “Who had never met Mrs. Breese,” said the Russian. “Yes, I put that up to him,” replied Smith. “But he only smiled a kind of wet smile and let it go at that. He said he knew and he had the evidence and it was just a question of whether I would pay. Well, naturally, I got excited. I tried to pin him down. When he wouldn’t come across, I threatened to arrest him as a material witness. He got frightened at that. I guess he had forgotten to figure on that. But he was pretty obstinate. Well, finally I said I’d give him an hour to think it over. I left, and just as I got down here I saw Breese’s cab draw up.” “Hmm,” the Russian reflected. “You have handled matters very badly, Mr. Smith.” “How do you get that?” Smith demanded resentfully. “It is quite obvious,” replied the Russian. “The man is greedy. He has a piece of information implicating Breese. He knows that Breese is obstinate. He is obviously blackmailing him. He thinks that perhaps, if Breese fails to pay, then the police will give him something substantial. You should have promised him at least fifty thousand dollars. It costs nothing to promise.” “I don’t have to promise him anything,” countered Smith. “I can lock him up any time and he’ll come through all right. I’m not worried about him. This case is over. What with Breese coming down and Charlie Spence handy where I can get him I expect to have something in a very short time.” “Which leads me to the conclusion,” said the Russian, “that all my bright hopes have been shattered. I’m going to see Mr. Spence myself.” “Not while Breese is in there!” exclaimed Smith. “But why not? I want Breese to know that I am here. It will help matters considerably. Come!” I knew the Russian well enough by this time to know that he would be in Charles Spence’s bicycle store within a moment and I plunged after him.