Drew rubbed a frosted pane with his elbow. A blurred form--close to the sheltering wall of the side street--revealed itself into Loris Stockbridge. She turned the corner. She glanced back over her sabled shoulder. She pressed her gloved hands deep within her muff and almost ran for the iron-grilled gates of the mansion. "She connected with a blonde lad in olive-drab uniform!" said Delaney. "He gave her something that looked to me like a revolver. Wot d'ye make out-a that, Chief?" CHAPTER FOUR "THE MURDER" Triggy Drew had no good answer for Delaney's question concerning the revolver. The matter was important in view of the threat aimed toward Stockbridge. Why Loris should obtain a gun from a rendezvous in a drug-store was more than the Detective could fathom. He turned to Delaney. "Explain yourself!" he snapped, gripping the operative by the sleeve. "Make yourself clear! We have no time to waste in this matter!" Delaney gulped and whispered. "It's this way. I follows the girl until she turns around the corner where there is an all-night drug-store. She was in a telephone-booth when I came up and looked through the window. She was trying to get a number. While she's trying, a taxi rushes up and out jumps a lad in a long benny. He pays the driver with a bill and hurries past me and into the drug-store. I gets a good look at him. He's about twenty-three years old, blonde hair and tall----" "Tall?" "He was five feet eleven, Chief. I'd say that to be safe. The uniform he wore under the benny was olive-drab with bars on his shoulder. He took the overcoat off--afterwards." "How many bars?" "Two, Chief." "That's good!" exclaimed Drew with sudden vigor. "Good!" "The girl," went on Delaney, "was 'phoning for him. She dropped the receiver when she heard him come in. She had the party she wanted--right there. Good deduction--that is!" The Detective snorted. "Go on," he said with a faint frown. "Sure it was! Well, I moves over and starts puttin' a penny in the slot-machine outside the drug-store. The machine didn't work very well on account of the snow. I'm a long time gettin' my piece of chewin'-gum. I sees them talking in the drug-store. His coat is off 'cause it's warm inside. He had an officer's uniform on." "One bar or two?" "Two bars on his shoulder, Chief." "Captain, then. Go on." "He's a tall lad with thick lips and wide-blue eyes. He's straight as a pike-staff and good lookin'--for a blonde." "Looks German?" "Not so I could notice! Seemed to be a bit of a swell. Had gloves and a high-class wrist watch. I hate them things." Drew smiled. "Hurry," he said. "Don't take too long. What happened? What about the smoke-wagon?" "I'm comin' to it, Chief. They moves over to the drug-case. They chins some more. Then he blows her to a soda--a cherry sundae." Drew rubbed the glass at his side and started out. He swept the mansion with swift-running eyes. He turned.