But after he was gone a man came around here every day for four weeks looking for him.

The man looked like a Broadway dude--like he drank a whole lot and didn't sleep much.

I once heard him tell Mr.Beard that Mr.Whitmore had run away from him." The coroner and the visitors exchanged meaning glances.
"Where is Mr.Beard ?" inquired the coroner.
"He didn't come down to-day." Again the coroner looked gravely at the others, but their faces failed to indicate what import they attached to the boy's statements.
"Lieutenant, is there any other question you desire to ask ?" "No, coroner, I think we'd better adjourn to the private office," said the man addressed.
Entering the merchant's office, the coroner closed the door behind them.
"Lieutenant Britz," he remarked cordially, "I'm glad they sent you up.
This looks like a mystery worthy of your talents." Lieutenant Britz disregarded the implied compliment.

He had taken up a position of survey in the center of the room, from which his eyes traveled slowly about the place, studying every inch of the carpet, lingering on the black leather surface of the chairs, covering the wide area of the walls.
"Have you searched the body ?" he asked.
"Yes," replied the coroner.

"Only a key ring with four keys attached was found in the pockets." "How about the papers in the desk ?" "Nothing but business papers." At this juncture a clerk poked his head timidly into the room and said: "Officers, it's three o'clock now and we haven't been out to lunch.