"No, the Old Man's got the right eye for these affairs. I'm a desk
man."

What Lonegan had swallowed to make his voice clear and steady, only he
knew, but his nerve was effective. "You've got to help me, Boylan," he
said. "You know the military end. You've got to help me get him
attached. I know you'd do it for me, but I want you to do it for him--"

A grunt from the big man, who disappeared.

...Lonegan's lip curled. Again it was only Lonegan who knew why. He
read the cablegram carefully again, and felt his face as if
speculating whether he could wait until morning for a shave. There was
routine to do, and the developments of the day to file. Peter was on a
mail story.... It occurred to him presently that his second would be
interested in this eventuality from the Office. He called several
places by 'phone without locating the younger man.

"He's with the woman," Lonegan concluded.

Peter had left her address somewhere, but it was not at hand; neither
was her house available to telephone. Lonegan took down the Warsaw
directory, and came finally to the street-number after this line:

"_Bertha Solwicz, sempstress_."




Chapter 3