The labor conspirators had raised huge sums for their defense; they had all the labor

unions
of the city, and in fact of the entire country behind them, and they were hiring spies and
informers, and trying to find out all they could about the prosecution, the evidence it had
collected and the moves it was preparing. Guffey did not say that he had been afraid to kick
Peter out because of the possibility that Peter might go over to the Goober side and tell all
he knew, but Peter guessed this while he sat listening to Guffeys explanation, and realized
with a thrill of excitement that at last he had really got a hold upon the ladder of prosperity.
Not in vain had his finger been almost broken and his wrist almost dislocated! Now, said
Guffey, heres my idea; As a witness youre on the bum, but as a spy, youre it. They know
that you blabbed, and that I know it; they know Ive had you in the hole. So now what I
want to do is to make a martyr of you. Dyou see? Peter nodded; yes, he saw. It was his
specialty, seeing things like that. Youre an honest witness, you understand? I tried to get
you to lie, and you wouldnt, so now you go over to the other side, and they take you in,
and you find out all you can, and from time to time you meet somebody as Ill arrange it,
and send me word what youve learned. You get me? I get you, said Peter, eagerly. No
words could portray his relief. He had a real job now! He was going to be a sleuth, like
Guffey himself. Now, said Guffey, the first thing I want to know is, whos blabbing in this
jail; we cant do anything but they get tipped off. Ive got witnesses that I want kept hidden,
and I dont dare put them here for fear of the Goober crowd. I want to know who are the
traitors. I want to know a lot of things that Ill tell you from time to time. I want you to get
next to these Reds, and learn about their ideas, so you can talk their lingo. Sure, said
Peter. He could not help smiling a little. He was supposed to be a Red already, to have
been one of their leading conspirators. But Guffey had abandoned that pretenceor perhaps
had forgotten about it! It was really an easy job that Peter had set before him. He did not
have to pretend to be anything different from what he was. He would call himself a victim of
circumstances, and would be honestly indignant against those who had sought to use him in
a frame-up against Jim Goober. The rest would follow naturally. He would get the confidence
of the labor people, and Guffey would tell him what to do next. Well put you in one of the
cells of this jail, said the chief detective, and well pretend to give you a third degree.
Youll holler and make a fuss, and say you wont tell, and finally well give up and kick you
out. And then all you have to do is just hang around. Theyll come after you, or I miss my
guess. So the little comedy was arranged and played thru. Guffey took Peter by the collar
and led him out into the main part of the jail, and locked him in one of a row of open cells.
He grabbed Peter by the wrist and pretended to twist it, and Peter pretended to protest. He
did not have to draw on his imagination; he knew how it felt, and how he was supposed to
act, and he acted. He sobbed and screamed, and again and again he vowed that he had told
the truth, that he knew nothing else than what he had told, and that nothing could make
him tell any more. Guffey left him there until late the next afternoon, and then came again,
and took him by the collar, and led him out to the steps of the jail, and gave him a parting
kick. Peter was free! What a wonderful sensationfreedom! God! Had there ever been
anything like it? He wanted to shout and howl with joy. But instead he staggered along the
street, and sank down upon a stone coping, sobbing with his head clasped in his hands,
waiting for something to happen. And sure enough, it happened. Perhaps an hour passed,
when he was touched lightly on the shoulder. Comrade, said a soft voice, and Peter,
looking between his fingers, saw the skirts of a girl. A folded slip of paper was pressed into
his hand and the soft voice said: Come to this address. The girl walked on, and Peters

heart leaped with excitement. Peter was a sleuth at last! Peter waited until after dark, in
order to indulge his sense of the romantic; also he flattered his self-importance by looking
carefully about him as he walked