“It’s a very difficult case, and we shall need all the help we can get. Sergeant Chan will not interfere with you, Captain -“

“I’ll say he won’t,” Flannery replied warmly.

“He can act in a sort of advisory capacity. You’re a big enough man to take advice, I know.”

“When it’s any good,” the Captain added. The girl looked appealingly at Trant.

“You are on leave of absence from the Honolulu force, Sergeant?” inquired the district attorney.

“One which stretches out like an elastic,” nodded Chan.

“Very well. Since Miss Morrow wishes it, I see no reason why you shouldn’t lend her your no doubt very useful aid. Remembering, of course, that neither one of you is to interfere with Captain Flannery in any way.”

“Better say that again,” Flannery told him. He turned to Chan. “That means you’re not to butt in and spoil things.”

Chan shrugged. “It was the wise K’ung-fu-tsze who said, ‘he who is out of office should not meddle with the government.’ The labor is all yours. I will merely haunt the background, thinking tensely.”

“That suits me,” Flannery agreed. “I’ll make all the inquiries.” He turned to the district attorney. “I’m going to get after that Garland woman right away. The pearl she dropped under Sir Frederic’s desk - I want to know all about it.”

“Please don’t think I’m interfering,” Miss Morrow said sweetly. “But as regards the women involved in this case, I feel that perhaps I can get more out of them than you can. Being a woman myself, you know. Will you let me have Miss Garland, please?”

“I can’t see it,” said Flannery stubbornly.

“I can,” remarked Trant, decisively. “Miss Morrow is a clever girl, Captain. Leave the women to her. You take the men.”

“What men?” protested Flannery. “It’s all women, in this affair.”

“Thank you so much,” smiled Miss Morrow, assuming his unproffered consent. “I will look up Miss Garland, then. There’s another woman who must be questioned at once - a Miss Lila Barr. I shall have a talk with her at the first possible moment. Of course, I’ll keep you advised of all I do.”

Flannery threw up his hands. “All right - tell me about it - after it’s over. I’m nobody.”

“Quite incorrect,” said Chan soothingly. “You are everybody. When the moment of triumph comes, who will snatch all credit? And rightly so. Captain Flannery, in charge of the case. Others will fade like fog in local sun.”

The girl stood up.