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not have the appearance of a good eater。 I did not entirely lose the impression that she was in some kind of trouble that no one but me could understand and no one but me could help her out of； but the most vulgar eye could have seen at a glance that she was in trouble。 That much of it I would have to share。
My name；〃 I said； 〃is Archie Goodwin and I work for Nero Wolfe。〃
〃I know that。 What do you want？〃
Evidently everybody in the stock department knew everything。 〃I'm afraid；〃 I told her； 〃that I can't make my answer quite as direct and to the point as your question。 I can tell you what I want； but I'll have to leave it more or less blank why I want it。 I want to date you up…to meet me at five o'clock this afternoon and go to Nero Wolfe's office with me。 He wants to have a talk with you…〃
〃What about？〃
〃You're so damn gruff；〃 I plained。 〃I can't tell you what about except that it's connected with the murder of Kerr Naylor； and you could guess that with both eyes shut。 Let me try it that way first； just ask you； will you do it？〃
〃Certainly not。 Why should I？〃
〃In that case that es next； why you should。 I would have liked it much better without that； but I can't have everything。 Mr。 Wolfe has learned a certain fact which has to do with you and Kerr Naylor； and he wants to ask you about it。 The nature of the fact is such…〃
〃What is it？〃
I shook my head。 〃Its nature is such that if you don't go and let him ask you about it he will be obliged to give the fact to the police and then there will be no question of letting。 You won't go； you'll be taken； and the asking atmosphere will be different。〃
〃My God；〃 she said in a tone with no expression at all； as if she were too stunned to feel anything。
It irritated me。 〃It's a good thing for you I'm not a policeman；〃 I declared。 〃You'd better think up a better entrance than that for them if it goes that far。 Your chin's sagging。〃
She came to me； abruptly and swiftly； put her hands on me； her open palms flat against my chest so I had to brace myself； raised her face to me； and half manded； half implored； 〃What…is…the…fact？〃
She nearly got the desired result at that。 But I stopped it before it reached my tongue and shook my head firmly。 〃Nope。 You'll get it from Mr。 Wolfe。〃
〃You won't tell me？〃
〃No。〃
〃There isn't any。 I don't believe it。 There isn't any fact。〃
〃The hell there isn't。〃 I was disgusted with her for not doing better。 〃You're just like glass to look through。 You have just told me that there's not one fact； but two and maybe more； and you've got to know which one Wolfe has。〃
She had certainly uncovered herself； but she was not floored； and she now showed that she could grab a nettle。 She went to the rack in the corner and got her coat and stuck an arm in it。
〃I'll go now；〃 she said。
〃You can't。〃 I went to relieve her of the coat。 〃The one appointment Mr。 Wolfe wouldn't break is the one with the orchids from nine to eleven in the morning。〃 I glanced at my wrist。 〃We can leave in an hour and a quarter。 I'll meet you in the lobby at a quarter to eleven。〃
But she knew what she wanted。 〃I'm not going to just sit here；〃 she said； 〃and if I tried to take dictation…I couldn't。 We can go now and wait for him。 Wait here a minute while I tell Mr。 Rosenbaum。〃
Having her coat； I hung it up； and explained that anyway I had an errand in the building that had to be attended to before I could leave。 She gave in； but only because she couldn't help it。 I got out of there； not being absolutely sure how I would react if she snapped out of it and started to work on me in earnest。 She agreed to meet me in the lobby at 10：45； and I returned to my room； picked up the phone； and called Wolfe and told him to expect us at eleven。 I also told him of Saul's recognition of Sumner Hoff。 Then I got the Naylor…Kerr switchboard and gave the extension number of the office of the president。
I had to fight for him that time。 He was in an important meeting and couldn't be disturbed； but I finally persuaded his secretary that no meeting was more important than me that morning and was told to hold the wire。 It was a long hold。 After five minutes I wondered who was kissing her now； and after three more I suspected I had been left to starve。 I had my finger poised ready to start jiggling when the secretary's voice came。
〃Mr。 Goodwin？〃
〃Still here and still hoping。〃
〃Please e up to the Board Room on the thirty…sixth floor。 You will be admitted。〃
Her tone implied that that was a break in a thousand； so I thanked her warmly。
On the thirty…sixth floor the executive receptionist told me where the Board Room was； and when I reached it an executive sentinel； outside the door； made sure my name was mine and then opened for me。 I walked in looking dignified。
It was up to snuff。 The room was big； high…ceilinged； well lighted； and impressive to a rank…and…filer like me； who had only been on the payroll three…fifths of a week。 An enormous rug nearly covered the floor。 The table； of bleached walnut； was about the size of my bedroom though not the same shape。 All around it were roomy armchairs； upholstered in brown leather； twenty or more； with all but four or five of them occupied。 There were two chairs at each end of the table and the others were along the sides。
In one of the chairs at the far end sat Jasper Pine。 In the other one was a man of whose bulk there was so little left that most of the chair was being wasted。 Age had certainly withered him。 At the first glance I recognized him； from a portrait of him on the wall of the president's office； as old George Naylor； one of the founders of the firm and the father of Mrs。 Jasper Pine； Cecily to me； and of Kerr Naylor； deceased。
Pine said； not getting up； 〃Gentlemen； this is Mr。 Archie Goodwin。 Goodwin； this is a joint meeting of the Board of Directors and some of the executive staff。 It is a special meeting； called to consider the matter of the death of Mr。 Kerr Naylor。 We have discussed it at some length in all its aspects。 The suggestion has been made that we instruct Nero Wolfe； your employer； to continue his investigation and extend it to include Mr。 Naylor's death。 Some of those present think that before deciding that point we should…〃
He stopped because old George Naylor uttered an emphatic word。 It was a word often heard among engineers doing field work； truck drivers； and detectives when working under strain； but I wouldn't have expected it to be used at a directors' meeting。
The founder added to it； 〃It's already decided！ Certainly Wolfe continues！〃 It wasn't from him； I noted； that his son had got a tenor voice。 His was baritone and still had volume and force； though his age was in it too。
There were murmurs。 Pine told him with courteous deference but with not quite all the impatience filtered out； 〃It was agreed； I thought； Mr。 Naylor； that we should hear from Goodwin first。 Goodwin； tell us what you have done since you came here last Wednesday。〃
Nothing was said about sitting down； in spite of five empty chairs； so； seeing that one there at my end was vacant； I got into it and adjusted myself fortably