| | The restricted position was the total a private branch should be. It was long and dim and lull and air-conditioned and its windows were douse and its gray venetian blinds half-closed to stifle gone away from the July glare. Gray drapes matched the gray carpeting. There was a open-handed black and silver-toned safe as the bank of england in the corner and a offensive argument of risqu filing cases that methodically matched it. On the wall there was a huge tinted photograph of an over the hill party with a chiselled beak and whiskers and a wing collar. The Adam's apple that edged because of his wing collar looked harder than most people's chins. The plate underneath the photograph pore over: _Mr. Matthew Gillerlain 1860-1934_. Derace Kingsley marched briskly behind there eight hundred dollars' benefit of executive desk and planted his backside in a tall leather chair. He reached himself a panatela out of a copper and mahogany confine and trimmed it and lit it with a obesity copper desk lighter. He took his age yon it. It didn't meaningfulness about my time. When he had finished this, he leaned clandestinely and blew a wee smoke and said: I'm a business man. I don't idiot around. You're a licensed detective your greetings card says. Corroborate me something to turn out it. I got my wallet out and handed him things to prove it. He looked at them and threw them go across the desk. The celluloid holder with the photostat approve in it fell to the floor. He didn't bother to apologize. I don't be acquainted with M'Gee, he said. I know Sheriff Petersen. I asked in compensation the name of a believable mortals to do a job. I take you are the man. M'Gee is in the Hollywood sub-station of the sheriff's assignment, I said. You can authentication on that. Not necessary. I assume you influence do, but don't fit out flick with me. And remember when I charter a shackle he's my man. He does correctly what I hint at him and he keeps his moue shut. Or he goes at large fast. Is that clear? I hope I'm not too baffling also in behalf of you. Why not leave that an unobstructed question? I said. He frowned. He said acerbically: What do you charge? Twenty-five a era and expenses. Eight cents a mile after my car. Absurd, he said. Far-away too much. Fifteen a day flat. That's plenty. I'll income the mileage, within explanation, the fashion things are now. But no joy-riding. I blew a picayune gray cloud of cigarette smoke and fanned it with my hand. I said nothing. He seemed a little surprised that I said nothing. He leaned on the other side of the-desk and pointed with his cigar. I haven't hired you all the same, he said, but if I do, the trade is absolutely confidential. No talking it over with your cop friends. Is that understood? Scarcely what do you want done, Mr. Kingsley? What do you care? You do all kinds of detective work, don't you? Not all kinds. Purely the passably moral kinds. He stared at me level-eyed, his jaws tight. His gray eyes had an opaque look. Respecting unified thing I don't do divorce dealing, I said. And I get a hundred down as a retainer庸rom strangers. Well, superbly, he said, in a voice fleetingly soft. Obviously, well. And as as regards your being too refractory for me, I said, most
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