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r。〃
〃He has and that's what's licking him。 Well； if you won't； you won't。〃
Jack said； 〃I won't；〃 and picked up his hat。 〃Anything else I'll be glad to do； but〃 He moved one hand in a brief gesture of finality。
Ned Beaumont stood up。 There was no resentment in his manner； none in his voice when he said： 〃I thought you might feel that way about it。〃 He brushed a side of his mustache with a thumb and stared thoughtfully past Jack。 〃Maybe you can tell me this： any idea where I can find Shad？〃
Jack shook his head。 〃Since the third time they knocked his place overwhen the two coppers were killedhe's been laying low； though they don't seem to have a hell of a lot on him personally。〃 He took his cigarette from his mouth。 〃Know Whisky Vassos？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃You might find out from him if you know him well enough。 He's around town。 You can usually find him some time during the night at Tim Walker's place on Smith Street。〃
〃Thanks； Jack； I'll try that。〃
〃That's all right；〃 Jack said。 He hesitated。 〃I'm sorry as hell you and Madvig split。 I wish you〃 He broke off and turned towards the door。 〃You know what you're doing。〃
2
Ned Beaumont went down to the District Attorney's office。 This time there was no delay in ushering him into Farr's presence。
Farr did not get up from his desk； did not offer to shake hands。 He said： 〃How do you do； Beaumont？ Sit down。〃 His voice was coldly polite。 His pugnacious face was not so red as usual。 His eyes were level and hard。
Ned Beaumont sat down； crossed his legs fortably； and said： 〃I wanted to tell you about what happened when I went to see Paul after I left here yesterday。〃
Farr's 〃Yes？〃 was cold and polite。
〃I told him how I'd found youpanicky。〃 Ned Beaumont； smiling his nicest smile； went on in the manner of one telling a fairly amusing but unimportant anecdote： 〃I told him I thought you were trying to get up enough nerve to hang the Taylor Henry murder on him。 He believed me at first； but when I told him the only way to save himself was by turning up the real murderer； he said that was no good。 He said he was the real murderer； though he called it an accident or self…defense or something。〃
Farr's face had bee paler and was stiff around the mouth； but he did not speak。
Ned Beaumont raised his eyebrows。 〃I'm not boring you； am I？〃 he asked。
〃Co on； continue；〃 the District Attorney said coldly。
Ned Beaumont tilted his chair back。 His smile was mocking。 〃You think I'm kidding； don't you？ You think it's a trick we're playing on you。〃 He shook his head and murmured： 〃You're a timid soul； Farr。〃
Farr said： 〃I'm glad to listen to any information you can give me； but I'm very busy； so I'll have to ask you〃
Ned Beaumont laughed then and replied： 〃Oke。 I thought maybe you'd like to have this information in an affidavit or something。〃
〃Very well。〃 Farr pressed one of the pearl buttons on his desk。
A grey…haired woman in green came in。
〃Mr。 Beaumont wants to dictate a statement；〃 Farr told her。
She said； 〃Yes； sir；〃 sat at the other side of Farr's desk； put her notebook on the desk； and； holding a silver pencil over the book； looked at Ned Beaumont with blank brown eyes。
He said： 〃Yesterday afternoon in his office in the Nebel Building； Paul Madvig told me that he had been to dinner at Senator Henry's house the night Taylor Henry was killed； that he and Taylor Henry had some sort of trouble there； that after he left the house Taylor Henry ran after him and caught up with him and tried to hit him with a rough heavy brown walking…stick； that in trying to take the stick from Taylor Henry he accidentally struck him on the forehead with it； knocking him down； and that he carried the stick away with him and burned it。 He said his only reason for concealing his part in Taylor Henry's death was his desire to keep it from Janet Henry。 That's all of it。〃
Farr addressed the stenographer： 〃Transcribe that right away。〃
She left the office。
Ned Beaumont said： 〃I thought I was bringing you news that would get you all excited。〃 He sighed。 〃I thought you'd fairly tear your hair over it。〃
The District Attorney looked steadily at him。
Ned Beaumont； unabashed； said： 〃I thought at least you'd have Paul dragged in and confronted with this〃he waved a hand〃 'damaging disclosure' is a good phrase。〃
The District Attorney spoke in a restrained tone： 〃Please permit me to run my own office。〃
Ned Beaumont laughed again and relapsed into silence until the grey…haired stenographer returned with a typed copy of his statement。 Then he asked： 〃Do I swear to it？〃
〃No；〃 Farr said； 〃just sign it。 That will be sufficient。〃
Ned Beaumont signed the paper。 〃This isn't nearly so much fun as I thought it was going to be；〃 he plained cheerfully。
Farr's undershot jaw tightened。 〃No；〃 he said with grim satisfaction； 〃I don't suppose it is。〃
〃You're a timid soul； Farr；〃 Ned Beaumont repeated。 〃Be careful about taxis when you cross streets。〃 He bowed。 〃See you later。〃
Outside； he grimaced angrily。
3
That night Ned Beaumont rang the door…bell of a dark three…story house in Smith Street。 A short man who had a small head and thick shoulders opened the door half a foot； said； 〃All right；〃 and opened it the rest of the way。
Ned Beaumont； saying； 〃'Lo；〃 entered； walked twenty feet down a dim hallway past two closed doors on the right； opened a door on the left； and went down a wooden flight of steps into a basement where there was a bar and where a radio was playing softly。
Beyond the bar was a frosted glass door marked Toilet。 This door opened and a man came out； a swarthy man with something apish in the slope of his big shoulders； the length of his thick arms； the flatness of his face； and the curve of his bowed legsJeff Gardner。
He saw Ned Beaumont and his reddish small eyes glistened。 〃Well； blind Christ； if it ain't Sock…me…again Beaumont！〃 he roared； showing his beautiful teeth in a huge grin。
Ned Beaumont said； 〃'Lo； Jeff；〃 while everyone in the place looked at them。
Jeff swaggered over to Ned Beaumont； threw his left arm roughly around his shoulders； seized Ned Beaumont's right hand with his right hand； and addressed the pany jovially： 〃This is the swellest guy I ever skinned a knuckle on and I've skinned them on plenty。〃 He dragged Ned Beaumont to the bar。 〃We're all going to have a little drink and then I'll show you how it's done。 By Jesus； I will！〃 He leered into Ned Beaumont's face。 〃What do you say to that； my lad？〃
Ned Beaumont； looking stolidly at the ugly dark face so close to； though lower than； his； said： 〃Scotch。〃
Jeff laughed delightedly and addressed the pany again： 〃You see； he likes it。 He's a〃 he hesitated； frowning； wet his lips 〃a God…damned massacrist； that's what he is。〃 He leered at Ned Beaumont。 〃You know what a massacrist is？〃
〃Yes。〃
Jeff seemed disappointed。 〃Rye；〃 he told the bar…tender。 When their drinks were set before them he released Ned Beaumont's hand； though he kept his arm across his shoulders。 They drank。 Jeff set down his glass and put his hand on Ned Beaumont's wrist。 〃I got just the place for me and you upstairs；〃 he said； 〃a room that's too little for you to fall do