The League of Frightened Men

Cabot said, "You can cross Elkus out.

He wouldn't pay you a cent."

"No?"

"No. He's as sentimental as Andy Hibbard was. He'd sooner see us all killed than help catch Paul Chapin."

"Indeed. It is disastrous to permit the vagaries of the heart to infect the mind.

We shall see – Gentlemen. I would like to satisfy myself now on one point. Frankly, I do not wish it to be possible for any of you to say, at any time in the future, that I have acted with a ruthlessness or vindictiveness which you ‹did not contemplate or desire. My understanding is that you are all convinced that Paul Chapin is a murderer, that he has threatened you with murder, and that he should be caught, discovered, convicted and executed. I am going to ask Mr.

Goodwin to call off your names. If my understanding is correct, you will please respond with yes.f) He nodded at me. I took up the list on which I had checked those present. Before I could call one. Lee Mitchell said, "On that I can answer for Mr. Collard and Mr.

Gaines. Unqualifiedly. Their response is yes."

There was a stir, but no one spoke. I said, "Ferdinand Bowen."

The broker said, husky but firm, | "Yes.".

"Dr. Loring A. Burton."

For a moment there was no reply, then

Burton murmured in a tone so low it was barely heard, "No." Everyone looked at him. He looked around, swallowed, and said suddenly and explosively, "Nonsense!

Yes, of course! Romantic nonsense. Yes!"

Farrell said to him, "I should hope so.

The wonder is you weren't first."

I went on, "Augustus Farrell."

"Yes." I called the others, Drummond, Cabot, | Pratt, Byron, Adier, Kommers; they all said yes. I called, "Michael Ayers." He was still sprawled in his chair. I said his name again. Farrell, next to him, dug him in the ribs: "Mike! Hey! Say yes." Mike Ayers stirred a little, opened his eyes into slits, bawled out, "Yes!" and shut his eyes again. ^ I turned to Wolfe, "That's all, sir."

I usually heard Fritz when he went down the front hall to answer the doorbell, but that time I didn't; I suppose because I was too interested in the roll I was calling. So I was surprised when I saw the door of the office opening. The others saw me look and they looked too. Fritz came in three steps and waited until Wolfe nodded at him.

"A gentleman to see you, sir. He had no card. He told me to say, Mr. Paul Chapin."

"Indeed." Wolfe didn't move. "Indeed.

Show him in." ^••w

Uaih

6

;r