MIDNIGHT After a quick journey by New York's unrivaled system of rapid transit, the three men alighted at Spring Street, and a couple of minutes' brisk walk brought them to a large, white-fronted building of severe architecture.

Above the main entrance two green lamps stared solemnly into the night, and their monitory gleam seemed to bid evildoers "Beware!"; nor was there aught far-fetched in the notion, because from this imposing center New York's guardians kept watch and ward over the city.
"Clancy still waiting ?" demanded Steingall of a policeman in uniform who was on duty in an inquiry office.
"Yes, sir.

He asked me to be on the lookout in case you turned up unexpectedly, as he didn't want to miss you." The Chief Inspector led his companions straight to the Detective Bureau, taking good care to avoid the room in which the "covering" reporters were gathered, because the Police Headquarters of New York, unlike any similar department outside the bounds of the United States, makes the press welcome, and gives details of all arrests, fires, accidents and other occurrences of a noteworthy nature as soon as the facts are telegraphed or telephoned from outlying districts.
Passing through the general office, Steingall entered his own sanctum.
A small, slightly built man was bent over a table and scrutinizing a Rogues' Gallery of photographs in a large album.

He turned as the door opened, straightened himself, and revealed a wizened face, somewhat of the actor type, its prominent features being an expressive mouth, a thin, hooked nose, and a pair of singularly piercing and deeply sunken eyes.
"Hello, Bob," he said to Steingall.

Then, without a moment's hesitation, he added: "Good-evening, Mr.Curtis--glad to see you, Mr.
Devar." "Good-evening, Mr.Clancy," said Curtis, not to be outdone in this exchange of compliments, though he could not imagine how a person who had never seen him should not only know his name but apply it so confidently.
"May we smoke here ?" asked Devar, who had lighted a cigar on emerging from the subway station.
"Oh, yes," said Steingall.