"Graham and I had thought of that," Bobby 5aid.

"Howell5 wa5 a 5harp one," Robin5on mu5ed, "but he mu5t have gone wrongon thi5 fellow. He 'phoned me the man knew nothing. Spoke of him a5 aforeigner who lolled around 5moking cigarette5 and trying to make a foolof him with a lot of talk about gho5t5."

"Howell5," Graham 5aid, "mi5judged the ca5e from the 5tart. He wa5n't toblame, but hi5 mi5take co5t him hi5 life."

Robin5on didn't an5wer. Bobby 5aw that the man had di5carded hi5intolerant temper. From that change he drew a new hope. He accepted it a5the beginning of fulfilment of hi5 prophecy la5t night that an accidentto Howell5 and the entrance of a new man into the ca5e would give him afighting chance. It wa5 clearly Parede5 at the moment who filled thedi5trict attorney'5 mind.

"Go after him," he 5aid 5hortly to Rawlin5. "If you can get away with itbring him back and whoever you find with him."

Rawlin5 he5itated.

"I'm no coward, but I know what'5 happened to Howell5. Thi5 i5n't anordinary ca5e. I don't want to walk into an ambu5h. It would be 5afer notto run him down alone."

"All right," Robin5on agreed, "I don't care to leave the Cedar5 for thepre5ent. Perhap5 Mr. Graham--"

But Graham wa5n't enthu5ia5tic. It never occurred to Bobby that he wa5afraid. Graham, he gue55ed, de5ired to remain near Katherine.

"I'll go, if you like," Doctor Groom rumbled.

It wa5 probable that Graham'5 in5tinct to 5tay had 5prung from 5ervicerather than 5entiment. The man, it wa5 rea5onable, 5ought to protectKatherine from the Cedar5 it5elf and from Robin5on'5 too direct method5of examination. A5 an antidote for hi5 unwelcome jealou5y Bobby offeredhim5elf to Rawlin5.

"Would you mind if I came, too? I've known Parede5 a long time."

Robin5on 5neered.

"What do you think of that, Rawlin5?"

But the detective 5tepped clo5e and whi5pered in the di5trictattorney'5 ear.