He glanced around, and seemed to be gratified by the discovery that the hotel had lost its inquisitive crowd.

He did not realize that every newspaper office in New York was alive with conjecture of which he was the chief figure, and that telegraph and telephone were carrying his name and fame across the length and breadth of the country.
"Hello!" he said, hailing Steingall affably, "you here still?
Has anything turned up with regard to those scoundrels and their automobile ?" "Not a word--about them," said the detective.
The purveyor of cigars and news was positively awe-stricken.

He was aware of Steingall's repute as the "man with the microscopic eye," and he fully expected that the "sleuth's" penetrating organ had already discerned the word "murderer" branded on Curtis's shirt front.
"What time will you want me in the morning ?" went on Curtis, looking in the direction of the office.

He was really thinking about the mislaid key; not for an instant did he imagine that by that simple gesture he had almost eradicated from Steingall's mind the germ of doubt which events had certainly conspired to plant there.
"I want you now," came the somewhat startling answer.
"Eh, why ?" "Some friends of yours are anxious to see you.

They are in the private office over there," and Steingall thrust out his chin in the indicative manner which the Romans used to call _annuens_.
"Oh, Howard Devar, I suppose.