Larry flung up a deprecating hand. "Leave this to me, Adèle. Our Mr. Labar is a truthful man." He broke into a snatch of song. "'He always tries to utter lies and every time he fails.' Mr. Labar did me the honour to tamper with my correspondence. Unfortunately his minions, who should have known better, resealed the letter rather hastily. A suspicious man like myself applied the lessons of Scotland Yard and dusted the note with graphite. That developed a man's thumb mark. I felt sure, my dear Adèle, that you would not have shown so intimate a letter to any person, and, my dear Watson"--he smiled triumphantly at the inspector--"I drew the conclusion that Mr. Labar would hotfoot it down here. And I followed." The detective laughed. "Better drop that thing and chuck up the sponge like a good boy, hadn't you, Larry? I always felt that you were too clever. I'm disappointed in you." "Crazy with the heat," observed Hughes to Mrs. Gertstein. "I don't quite get the joke, Labar. Won't you elucidate?" "The answer will be apparent quite soon," retorted the detective. "I knew you had audacity, but I didn't think you were quite so childish. When you went to pick up that letter there would be plenty of my men about, and I had taken the precaution of keeping a police car where they could get at it handily. Do you suppose they've not been busy? I'll bet that they've been right on top of you all the way down. You're a gone coon, Larry. You're in a trap." The other laughed. "Still raving," he gibed. "Why, my simple Sherlock, I knew exactly what you would do. A telephone message to my house to send my correspondence to a certain place, and a discreet messenger were all that were needed to get inside your guard." Labar lifted his shoulders. "You're a hell of a fellow," he sneered. "What are you going to do about it now? Seems to me that you've got hold of the tiger's tail. You don't know whether to hang on or leave go. You daren't shoot me. What else can you do?" "I don't know that I daren't. Might be a business-like way out," mused Larry. "But I'd hate to do it, Labar. You're amusing without being vulgar. I should miss you." Mrs. Gertstein who had followed the exchange with puzzled face whirled swiftly on Larry. "Don't be a fool, man. Can't you see that he is playing with you. He's trying to gain time. Kill him now. No one will know. Shoot him." Her face was blazing vindictively. "Put him out of the way. He's dangerous."