“I took her there.” “Who was she?” “Why--she called herself Mary Smith.” “Where did you meet her?” “Up at 'Fairview.'” “At 'Fairview'!” exclaimed the other. “Yes,” said Samuel. “The Lockman place.” “ALBERT Lockman's place?” “Yes.” “How did she come to be there?” “Why, she was--a friend of his. She was there to dinner.” “What!” gasped the man. “How do you know it?” “I work there,” replied Samuel. “And how did she come to go to the hotel?” “Master Albert turned her out,” said Samuel. “And it was raining, and so I took her to a hotel.” “For the love of God!” exclaimed the other; and then he asked quickly, “Did you tell the sergeant that?” “No,” said the boy. “He didn't ask me anything.” The man sprang up and ran to the grated door and shook it. “Hello! Hello there!” he cried. “What's the matter?” growled a policeman down the corridor. “Come here! quick!” cried the other; and then through the grating he whispered, “Say, tell the cap to come here for a moment, will you?” “What do you want?” demanded the policeman. “Look here, O'Brien,” said the other. “You know Charlie Swift is no fool. And there's something about this fellow you've put in here that the cap ought to know about quick.” The sergeant came. “Say,” said Charlie. “Did you ask this boy any questions?” “No,” said the sergeant, “I'm waiting for the chief.” “Well, did you know that girl came from Albert Lockman's place?” “Good God, no!” “He says she was there to dinner and Lockman turned her out of the house. This boy says he works for Lockman.” “Well, I'm damned!” exclaimed the sergeant. And so Samuel was led into a private room. A minute or two later “the chief” strode in. McCullagh was his name and he was huge and burly, with a red face and a protruding jaw. He went at Samuel as if he meant to strike him. “What's this you're givin' us?” he cried. “Why--why--” stammered Samuel, in alarm. “You're tryin' to tell me that girl came from Lockman's?” roared the chief. “Yes, sir!” “And you expect me to believe that?” “It's true, sir!” “What're you tryin' to give me, anyhow?” demanded the man. “But it's true, sir!” declared Samuel again. “You tell me she was there at dinner?” “Yes, sir!” “Come! Quit your nonsense, boy!” “But she was, sir!” “What do you expect to make out of this, young fellow?” “But she was, sir!” Apparently the chief's method was to doubt every statement that Samuel made, and repeat his incredulity three times, each time in a louder tone of voice and with a more ferocious expression of countenance. Then, if the boy stuck it out, he concluded that he was telling the truth. By this exhausting method the examination reached its end, and Samuel was led back to his cell. “Did you stick to your story?” asked his cellmate. “Of course,” said he. “Well, if it is true,” remarked the other, “there'll be something doing soon.” And there was. About an hour later the sergeant came again and entered. He drew the two men into a corner.