"Why--why--Chief--" Barney stammered. He had counted upon help here, where there had existed mutually advantageous relations for so long.
"I heard you say you had my protection. That's another lie. You've squealed on a few people, but I've never given you a thing."
Barney gasped at this. He knew, as every one in the room also knew, that Barlow was lying. But Barlow held all the cards. Rough and ruthless police politician that he was, he made it his business always to hold the highest cards. As sick of soul as a man can be, Barney realized that Barlow was doing exactly what Barlow always did--was swinging to the side that had the most evidence and that would prove most advantageous to him. And Barney realized that he was suffering the appointed fate of all stool-pigeons who are found out by their fellow criminals to be stool-pigeons. Such informers are of no further use, and according to the police code they must be given punishment so severe as to dissipate any unhealthy belief on the public's part that there could ever have been any alliance between the two.
"I've used this young lady who seems to have been Jimmie Carlisle's daughter and now seems to be the daughter of this old-timer Joe Ellison, for a little private sleuthing on my own hook," Barlow went on--for it was the instinct of the man to claim the conception and leadership of any idea in whose development he had a part. He spoke in a brusque tone--as why should he not, since he was addressing an audience he lumped together as just so many crooks? "Through this little stunt I pulled to-night, I've got on to your curves, Barney Palmer. And yours, too, Jimmie Carlisle. And I'm going to run the pair of you in."
This was too much for Barney Palmer. Even though he knew that his position as a stool, who was known to be a stool, was without hope whatever, he went utterly to pieces.
"For God's sake, Chief," he burst out frantically, "you're not going to treat me like that! You could get me out of this easy! Think of all I've done for you! For God's sake, Chief--for God's sake--"
"Shut up!" ordered Barlow, doubling a big fist.
Chokingly Barney obeyed. Old Jimmie, coward though he was, and lacking entirely Barney's quality of a bravo, had accepted the situation with the twitching calm of one to whom the worst has often happened. "Shut up," repeated Barlow, "and get it fixed in your beans that I'm going to run you two in."
"Run them in because of this Sherwood affair?" asked Larry.
"Surest thing you know. I've got all the evidence I seed."
"But--" Larry was beginning protestingly, when the doorbell rang again. Maggie opened the door, and there entered Miss Sherwood, with Hunt just behind her, and Dick just behind him, and Casey and Gavegan following these three. All in the room were surprised at this invasion with the sole exception of Joe Ellison.
"When Mr. Dick spoke over the 'phone about your coming," he said to Miss Sherwood, "I asked you not to do it."
Barlow was prompt to speak, and the sudden change in his voice would have been amazing to those who do not know how the little great men of the Police Department, and other little great men, can alter their tones. He had recognized Miss Sherwood at once, as would any one else at all acquainted with influential New York.
"Miss Sherwood, I believe," he said, essaying a slight bow.
"Yes. Though I fear I have not the pleasure of knowing you."
"Deputy Barlow, head of the Detective Bureau of the Police Department," he informed her. "Entirely at your service."
"Just what is going on here?" she queried. "I know a part of what has happened"--she was addressing herself particularly to Maggie and Larry--"for Dick telephoned me about seven, and I came right into town. He told me everything he knew--which threw a different light on a lot of events--and Dick telephoned at about nine that I was coming over. But something more seems to have happened."
"Miss Sherwood, it's like--" began Barlow.
"Just a second, Chief," Larry interrupted. Larry knew what a sensational story this would be as it had developed--and he knew in advance just how it would be seized upon and played up by the newspapers. And Larry did not want unpleasant publicity for his friends (three in that room were trying to make a fresh start in life), nor for those who had been his friends. "Chief, do you want to make an arrest on a charge which will involve every person in this room in a sensational story? Of course I know most of us here don't weigh anything with you. But why drag Miss Sherwood, who is innocent in every way, into a criminal story that will serve to cheapen her and every decent person involved? Besides, it can only be a conspiracy charge, and there's more than a probability that you can't prove your case. So why make an arrest that will drag in Miss Sherwood?"
Barlow had a mind which functioned with amazing rapidity on matters pertaining to his own interest. He realized on the instant how it might count for him in the future if he were in a position to ask a favor of a person of Miss Sherwood's standing; and he spoke without hesitation:
"I don't know anything about this Sherwood matter. If anyone ever asks me, they'll not get a word."
