have absolutely nothing to connect Leh Shin with the disappearance, and
I have withdrawn the men who were watching the shop."

"Interesting," said Coryndon slowly.

"Can you give me any opinion? I'm badly in need of help."

Coryndon shook his head, his hand still touching the stained rag idly.

"I could give you none at all, on these facts."

Hartley looked at him with a fixed and imploring stare.

"In a place like this, to be the chief mover, the actual incentive to
disclosing God knows what, is simply horrible," he said in a rough,
pained voice. "I've done my share of work, Coryndon, and I've taken my
own risks, but any cases I've had against white men haven't been against
men like the Padré."

Coryndon gave a little short sigh that had weariness in its sound,
weariness or impatience.

"What you have told me involves three principals, and a score of
others." He was counting as he spoke. "Any one of them may be the man
you are looking for, only circumstances indicate one in particular. You
are satisfied that you have got the line. I could not confidently say
that you have, unless I had been working the case myself, and had
followed up every clue throughout."

Hartley got up and paced the room, his hands deep in the pockets of his