“Yes, sir.” Labar received the compliment with meekness. It was something anyway to get a compliment out of the Chief Constable. “But we haven’t got anything yet that will associate him with the robbery. Stebbins may help us to get at Billy Bungey. There is Mrs. Gertstein. There is Gold Dust Teddy. So far we’re to the good. But we haven’t got the solid evidence yet that will lead to a conviction of the main guy. He’s slippery as an eel and you know it, sir.”

Winter chuckled. “Don’t come that on me, Labar. Trying to establish an alibi in case things go wrong, are you? Going to get all the little fish and let the big one slip through the net? Same old story about Larry. Well, it doesn’t go down with me. You’ve got to get Larry. See if you can’t get him for the Gertstein job, hook him up for the ‘Maid’s Retreat’ trouble. Only get him.”

“I’m going to get him, sir,” returned the inspector, with an inflection in his voice that caused Winter to glance at him shrewdly through his spectacles. “I’ve just a little personal feeling in this matter, and I’m going through with it.”