y the iron railing； gasping for breath。
〃Water；〃 he pleaded； and a court attendant handed a cup to Rochester； standing just outside the cage； and he passed it over the iron railing to the burglar。 Then turning on his heel the lawyer rejoined Clymer； his discontent plainly discernible。
〃A clear case against your client；〃 remarked Clymer； reading his thoughts。 〃Don't take the affair to heart； man； you did your best under difficulties。〃
Rochester shook his head gloomily。 〃I might have … Jove！ why didn't I ask for bail？〃
〃Bail！〃 The banker suppressed a chuckle as he eyed the threadbare suit and tattered appearance of the burglar； who had resumed his seat in the prisoner's cage。 〃Who would have stood surety for that scarecrow？〃
〃I would have。〃 Rochester spoke with some vehemence； but his words were partly drowned by the violent fit of coughing which again shook the burglar； and before he could finish his sentence； Helen McIntyre stood at his elbow。 She bowed gravely to Clymer who rose at her approach； and laid a persuasive hand on Rochester's sleeve。
〃Will you come with us？〃 she asked。 〃Barbara and Dr。 Stone are ready to leave。 The doctor wishes to …〃 As she spoke she looked across at Stone； who stood opposite her in the little group。 He failed to catch both her word and her eye； his gaze； passing over her shoulder； was riveted on the burglar。
〃Something is wrong；〃 he announced and pushed past Barbara。 〃Let me inside the cage；〃 he directed as the deputy marshal kept the gate closed at his approach。 〃Your prisoner appears ill。〃
One glance at the burglar proved the truth of the physician's statement and the gate was hastily opened。 Stone bent over the man； whose spasmodic breathing could be heard distinctly through the court room； then his gaze shifted to the other occupants of the cage。
〃The man must have air；〃 he declared。 〃Your aid here。〃 Looking up his eyes met Clymer's； and the latter came swiftly into the cage； followed by Rochester； and the deputy marshal slammed the door shut behind them。
〃Step out this way；〃 he said； as Clymer aided the physician in lifting the burglar； and he led them into the ante…room whence prisoners were taken into the cage。
Stretching his burden on the floor； Stone tore open the man's shirt and felt his heart； while Clymer； spying a water cooler； sped across the room and returned immediately with a brimming glass。
〃Here's water；〃 he said； but Stone refused the proffered glass。
〃No use；〃 he announced。 〃The man is dead。〃
〃Dead！〃 echoed the deputy marshal。 〃Well； I'll be … say； doctor；〃 but Stone had darted out of the room； and he turned open…mouthed to Clymer。 〃If it wasn't Doctor Stone I would say he was crazy；〃 he declared。
〃Tut！ Feel the man's heart and convince yourself；〃 suggested Clymer tartly； and the deputy marshal； dropping on one knee； did so。 Detecting no heart…beat； the officer passed his hand over the dead man's unshaven chin and across his forehead； brushing back the unkempt hair。 Under his none too gentle touch the wig slipped back； revealing to his astonished gaze a head of short cropped； red hair。
Clymer； who had followed the deputy marshal's movements with interest； gave a shout which was echoed by Rochester and Dr。 Stone； who returned at that moment。
〃Good God！〃 gasped Clymer； shaken out of his accustomed calm。 〃Jimmie Turnbull！〃
The deputy marshal eyed the startled men。
〃You don't mean …〃 he stammered； and paused。
For answer Dr。 Stone straightened the dead man and removed the wig。
〃James Turnbull；〃 he said gravely； and turning； addressed Rochester； who had dropped down on the nearest chair。 〃Cashier of the Metropolis Trust Company； Rochester； and your roommate； masquerading as a burglar。〃
CHAPTER II
THE GAME OF CONSEQUENCES
R 0 Chester did not appear to hear Dr。 Stone's words。 With eyes half starting from their sockets he sat staring at the dead man； completely oblivious of the others' presence。 After watching him for a moment the physician turned briskly to the dazed deputy marshal。
〃Summon the coroner；〃 he directed。 〃We cannot move the body until he comes。〃
His curt tone brought the official's wits back with a jump and he made for the exit； only to be stopped at the threshold by a sandy…haired man just entering the room。
At the word coroner； Rochester raised himself from his bent attitude and brushed his hand across his eyes。
〃No need for a coroner to diagnose the case；〃 he objected。 〃Poor Turnbull always said he would go off like that。〃
Stone moved nearer。 〃Like that？〃 he questioned； pointing to the still figure。 〃Explain yourself； Rochester。 Did Turnbull expect to die here in this manner？〃
〃No … no … certainly not。〃 The lawyer moistened his dry lips。 〃But when a man has angina pectoris he knows the end may come at any moment and in any place。 Turnbull made no secret of suffering from that disease。〃 Rochester turned toward Clymer。 〃You knew it。〃
Benjamin Clymer； who had been gazing alternately at the dead man and vaguely about the room； looked startled at the abrupt question。
〃I knew Turnbull had bad attacks of the heart； we all knew it at the bank；〃 he stated。 〃But I understood the disease had responded to treatment。〃
〃There is no cure for angina pectoris；〃 declared Rochester。
〃No permanent cure；〃 amended Stone； and would have added more； but Rochester stopped him。
〃Now that you know Turnbull died of angina pectoris there is no necessity of sending for the coroner；〃 Rochester spoke in haste； his words tumbling over each other。 〃I will go at once and communicate with an undertaker。〃 But before he could rise from his chair the sandy…haired man； who had conducted a whispered conversation with the deputy marshal； advanced toward the group。
〃Just a moment； gentlemen；〃 he said； and turned back a lapel of his coat and displayed a metal badge。 〃I am Ferguson of the Central Office。 Do you know the deceased？〃
〃He was my intimate friend；〃 announced Rochester before his companions could reply to the detective's question； which was addressed to all。 〃Mr。 Clymer； here； can tell you that Jimmie Turnbull； cashier of his bank； was well known in financial and social Washington。〃
〃How came he here in this fix？〃 asked Ferguson with more force than grammatic clarity。
〃A sudden heart attack … angina pectoris； you know；〃 replied Rochester glibly； 〃with fatal results。〃
〃I wasn't alluding to what killed him；〃 Ferguson explained。 〃But why was the cashier of the Metropolis Trust Company；〃 he looked questioningly at Clymer whom he knew quite well by sight； 〃and a social high…light； decked out in these clothes and a wig； too？〃 leaning down； the better to examine the clothing on the dead man。
〃He had just been held for the Grand Jury on a charge of house…breaking；〃 volunteered the deputy marshal。 〃I reckon that brought on his heart…attack。〃
〃True； true；〃 agreed Rochester。 〃The excitement was too much for him。〃
〃House…breaking〃 ejaculated the detective。 〃Dangerous sport for a man suffering with angina pectoris； aside from anything else。 Who preferred charges？〃
〃The Misses McIntyre；〃 answered the deputy marshal； to whom the question was addressed。 〃Like to interview them？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃No； no！〃 Rochester was on his feet instantly。 〃There is no necessity to bring the twins out here … it's too tragic！〃
〃Tragic？〃 echoed Ferguson。 〃Why？〃
〃Why … why … Turnbull was arrested in their house；〃 Rochester was commencing to stutter。 〃He was their friend …〃
〃Caught burglarizing； heh？〃 Ferguson's eyes glowed； the case already whetted his remarkably keen inquisitorial instinct which had gained him place and certain fame in the Washington police force。 〃Are the Misses McIntyre still in the building？〃
〃They were in the court room just before we brought Turnbull's body here；〃 responded the deputy marshal。 〃I guess they are still waiting； eh； doctor？〃
Stone； thus appealed to； nodded。 〃I agree with Mr。 Rochester；〃 he said； and the gravity of his manner impressed Ferguson。 〃It is better for me to break the news of Mr。 Turnbull's death to the young ladies before bringing them here。 Therefore； with your permission； Ferguson … He got no further。
Through the outer entrance of the room came Helen McIntyre and her sister Barbara； conducted by the same bowing patrolman who had ushered them into the court room an hour before。
〃My God！ Too late！〃 stammered Rochester under his breath； and he turned in desperation to Benjamin Clymer。 The bank president's state of mind at the extraordinary masquerade and sudden death of his popular and trusted cashier bordered on shocked horror； which had made him a passive witness of the rapidly shifting scene。 Rochester clutched his arm in his agitation。 〃Get the twins out of here … do something； man！ Don't you know that Turnbull was in love with …〃
His fervid whisper penetrated further than he realized and one of the McIntyre twins looked inquiringly in their direction。 Clymer； more startled than his demeanor indicated； wondered if she had overheard Rochester's ejaculations； but whatever action the banker contemplated in response to the lawyer's appeal was checked by a scream from the girl on his right。