n a smaller room down the hall； seated at a table； looking harassed。 No doubt life was hard for him…born with the instincts of a Hitler or Stalin in a country where people are determined to do their own voting。 The dick who took me in motioned me to a chair across the table。
〃You again；〃 Noonan said。
I nodded。 〃That's exactly what I was thinking。 I haven't seen you since the time I didn't run my car over Louis Rony。〃
I didn't expect him to wince； and he didn't。 〃You're here investigating that dog poisoning at Hillside Kennels。〃
I had no ment。
〃Weren't you？〃 he snapped。 〃If you're answering questions。〃
〃Oh； I beg your pardon。 I didn't know it was a question。 It sounded more like a statement。〃
〃You are investigating the dog poisoning？〃
〃I started to。 I spent an hour at it there with Leeds； before we came here to dinner。〃
〃So he said。 Make any progress？〃
〃Nothing remarkable。 For one thing； I had kibitzers； which is no help。 Mrs。 Frey and Mr。 Hammond。〃
〃Did you all e over here together？〃
〃No。 Leeds and I came about an hour after Mrs。 Frey and Mr。 Hammond left。〃
〃Did you drive？〃
〃Walked。 He walked and I ran。〃
〃You ran？ Why？〃
〃To keep up with him。〃
Noonan smiled。 He has the meanest smile I know of except maybe Boris Karloff。 〃You get your edy from the ics； don't you； Goodwin？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Tell me about the dinner here and afterwards。 Make it as funny as you can。〃
I took ten minutes for it； as much as I had had for Wolfe； but getting interrupted with questions。 I stuck to facts and gave them to him straight。
When we came to the end he went back and concentrated on whether all of them had heard Mrs。 Rackham say she was going for a walk with the dog； as of course they had since she had issued a blanket invitation for pany。
Then I was sent back to the living room； and it was Lina Darrow's turn in the preliminaries。 I wondered if she would play dumb with him as she had with me。
It was as empty a stretch or hours as I have ever spent。 I might as well have been a housebroken dog； no one seemed to think I mattered； and I was not in a position to tell them how wrong they were。 At one point I made a serious effort to get into a conversation； making the rounds and offering remarks； but got nowhere。 Dana Hammond merely gave me a look； without opening his trap。 Oliver Pierce didn't even look at me。 Lina Darrow mumbled something and turned away。 Calvin Leeds asked me what they had done with Nobby's remains； nodded and frowned at my answer； and went to put another log on the fire。 Annabel Frey asked me if I wanted more coffee； and when I said yes apparently didn't hear me。 Barry Rackham； whom I tackled at the far end of the room； was the most talkative。 He wanted to know whether anyone had e from the District Attorney's office。 I said I didn't know。 He wanted to know the name of the cop in the other room who was asking questions； and I told him Lieutenant Con Noonan。 That was my longest conversation； two whole questions and answers。
I did get in one piece of detection； somewhat later； when finally District Attorney Cleveland Archer made an appearance。 As he came into the room and made himself known and everybody moved to approach him； I took a look at his shoes and saw that he had undoubtedly been in the woods to inspect the spot where Mrs。 Rackham's body was found。 Likewise Ben Dykes； the dean of the Westchester County dicks； who was with him。 That made me feel slightly better。 It would have been a shame to stick there the whole night without detecting a single damn thing。
After a few preliminary words to individuals Archer spoke to them collectively。 〃This is a terrible thing； an awful thing。 It is established that Mrs。Rackham was stabbed to death out there in the woods…and the dog that was with her。 We have the knife that was used； as you know…it has been shown to you…one of the steak knives that are kept in a drawer here in the dining room…they were used by you at dinner last evening。 We have statements from all of you； but of course I'll have to talk further with you。 I won't try to do that now。 It's after three o'clock； and I'll e back in the morning。 I want to ask whether any of you has anything to say to me now； anything that shouldn't wait until then。〃 His eyes went over them。 〃Anyone？〃
No sound and no movement from any quarter。 They sure were a chatty bunch。 They just stood and stared at him； including me。 I would have liked to relieve the tension with a remark or question； but didn't want to remind him that I was present。
However； he didn't need a reminder。 After all the others； including the servants； had cleared out； Leeds and I were moving toward the door when Ben Dykes's voice came。 〃Goodwin！〃
Leeds kept going。 1 turned。
Dykes came to me。 〃We want to ask you something。〃
〃Shoot。〃
District Attorney Archer joined us； saying； 〃In there with Noonan； Ben。〃
〃Him and Noonan bring sparks；〃 Dykes objected。 〃Remember last year at Spelling's？〃
〃I'll do the talking；〃 Archer stated； and led the way to the hall and along to the smaller room where Noonan was still seated at the table； conferring with a colleague…the one who had brought me from Hillside Kennels。 The colleague moved to stand against the wall。 Noonan arose； but sat down again when Archer and Dykes and I had pulled chairs up。
Archer； slighdy plumper than he had been a year ago； with his round red face saggy and careworn by the stress of an extremely bad night for him； put his forearms on the table and leaned at me。
〃Goodwin；〃 he said earnestly but not offensively； 〃I want to put something up to you。〃
〃Suits me； Mr。 Archer；〃 I assured him。 〃I've never been ignored more。〃
〃We've been busy。 Lieutenant Noonan has of course reported what you told him。 Frankly； I find it hard to believe。 Almost impossible to believe。 It is well known that Nero Wolfe refuses dozens of jobs every month； that he confines himself to cases that interest him； and that the easiest and quickest way to interest him is to offer him a large fee。 Now I…〃
〃Not the only way；〃 I objected。
〃I didn't say it was。 I know he has standards…even scruples。 Now I can't believe that he found anything interesting in the poisoning of a dog…certainly not interesting enough for him to send you up here over a weekend。 And I doubt very much if Calvin Leeds； from what I know of him； is in a position to offer Wolfe a fee that would attract him。 His cousin； Mrs。Rackham； might have； but she did not have the reputation of throwing money around carelessly…rather the contrary。 We're going to ask Wolfe about this； naturally； but I thought I might save time by putting it up to you。 I appeal to you to cooperate with us in solving this dastardly and cowardly murder。 As you know； I have a right to insist on it； knowing you and Wolfe as I do； I prefer to appeal to you as to a responsible citizen and a man who carries a license to work in this state as a private detective。 I simply do not believe that you were sent up here merely to investigate the poisoning of a dog。〃
They were all glaring at me。
〃I wasn't；〃 I said mildly。
〃Ha； you weren't！〃
〃Hell no。 As you say； Mr。 Wolfe wouldn't be interested。〃
〃So you lied； you punk；〃 Noonan gloated。
〃Wrong； as usual。〃 I grinned at him。 〃You didn't ask me what I was sent here for or even hint that you would like to know。 You asked if I was investigating the dog poisoning； and I told you I spent an hour at it； which I did。 You asked if I had made any progress； and I told you nothing remarkable。 Then you wanted to know what I had seen and heard here； and I told you； in full。 It was one of the bummest and dumbest jobs of questioning I have ever run across； but you may learn in time。 The first…〃
Noonan blurted； 'Why； you goddam…〃 〃I'll handle it；〃 Archer snapped at him。 Back to me： 〃You might have supplied it； Goodwin。〃
〃Not to him；〃 I said firmly； 〃I tried supplying him once and he was displeased。 Anyway； I doubt if he would have understood it。〃
〃See if I can understand it。〃
〃Yes； sir。 Mrs。 Rackham phoned Thursday afternoon and made an appointment to see Mr。 Wolfe。 She came yesterday