I haven't anything against the man now but a suspicion.

I wanted to learn his record, that's all.

This inquiry was only incidental.
What I'm really interested in just at present is something I picked up in the alley back of Mike's Place three or four hours ago.

It's a note in a woman's hand-writing, and when I found it, it was hidden in a small silver pen-knife, such as a lady might carry.

I thought it might have some connection with the case I'm trying to catch this fellow Hobart in." "There is a woman in it, then ?" "Yes; but I haven't got things hitched up sufficiently to talk about it.
The note itself is blind." "In what respect ?" "Well, here it is.