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He stopped and listened In the hall was the approaching tread of unan went to the door and opened it as O'Connor was about to knock When the door closed again, the staff-sergeant was in the roo hands he clutched a box of cigars, and in the other he held a bunch of vividly red fire-flowers

"Father Layonne shoved these intotheulations to co, Ji you one now!"

He was gripping Kent's hands in the fierce clasp of a friendship that nothing could kill Kent winced, but the pain of it was joy He had feared that O'Connor, like Kedsty,unusual in O'Connor's face and eyes The staff-sergeant was not easily excited, yet he was visibly disturbed now

"I don't knohat the others sahen you were ht was better because I spent a year and a half with you on the trail You were lying What's your gaain?" he appealed

O'Connor began thu back and forth over the floor Kent had seen hi problems ahead of them

"You didn't kill John Barkley," he insisted "I don't believe you did, and Inspector Kedsty doesn't believe it--yet the hty queer part of it is--"

"What?"

"That Kedsty is acting on your confession in a big hurry I don't believe it's according to Hoyle, as the regulations are written But he's doing it And I want to know--it's the biggest thing I EVER wanted to know--did you kill Barkley?"

"O'Connor, if you don't believe a dying man's word--you haven't much respect for death, have you?"

"That's the theory on which the laorks, but sometimes it ain't human Confound it, er-nails pried open the box of cigars "Mind if I smoke with you?" he asked "I need it I' Do you care if I ask you about the girl?"

"The girl!" exclai at O'Connor