〃I don't know。 I can say only what I was told to say。 That's all about the plants。 Perhaps Mr。 Hewitt can tell you。 Second； that is Fritz。 He will work here； and I will pay him well。 I will see him today and arrange the details。 Of course he is unhappy？〃
〃He thinks Mr。 Wolfe will starve to death。〃
〃But naturally。 If not that； something else。 I have always thought it a folly for him to be a detective。 Third…I am third。 I have a power of attorney。 Do you want to see it？〃
〃No； thanks； I'll take your word for it。〃
〃It is in there locked up。 Nero said it is legal； and he knows。 I can sign checks for you。 I can sign anything。 I can do anything he could do。〃
〃Within certain limits。 You can't…〃 I waved a hand。 〃Forget it。 Fourth？〃
〃Fourth is the house。 I am to offer the house and its contents for sale。 On that I have confidential instructions。〃
I goggled at him。 〃Sell the house and contents？〃
〃Yes。 I have private instructions regarding price and terms。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃
His shoulders went up and down。 〃I told Nero you would think I was lying。〃
〃I don't think you're lying。 I just don't believe it。 Also the bed and other articles in my room are my property。 Must I move them out today or can I wait until tomorrow？〃
Marko made a noise that I think was meant for sympathy。 〃My poor young friend；〃 he said apologetically； 〃there is no hurry at all。 Selling a house is not like selling a lamb chop。 You will； I suppose； continue to live there for the present。〃
〃Did he say I should？〃
〃No； But why shouldn't you？ That is my own thought； and it brings us to the fifth and last thing： the instructions Nero gave me for you。〃
〃Oh； he did。 That was thoughtful。 Such as？〃
〃You are to act in the light of experience as guided by intelligence。〃
He stopped。 I nodded。 〃That's a cinch； I always do。 And specifically？〃
〃That's all。 Those are your instructions。〃 Marko upturned his palMs。〃That's all about everything。〃
〃You call that instructions； do you？〃
〃I don't。 He did。〃 He leaned to me。 〃I told him； Archie； that his conduct was inexcusable。 He was standing ready to leave； after telling me those five things and no more。 Having no reply； he turned and went： Beyond that I know nothing； but nothing；〃
〃Where he went？ Where he is？ No word for me at all？〃
〃Nothing。 Only what I have told you。〃
〃Hell； he's gone batty； like lots of geniuses；〃 I declared； and got up to go。
7
I DROVE around for two solid hours； mostly in the park。 Now and then； for a change of scene； I left the park for a patrol of the avenues。
I hadn't been able to start thinking in the house； and it might work better on the move。 Moreover； I didn't want any more just then of Fritz or Theodore； or in fact of anybody but me。 So； in the light of experience and guided by intelligence； I drove around。 Somewhere along the way I saw clearly what my trouble was： I was pletely out of errands for the first time in years。 How could I decide what to do when I had nothing to do？ I now believe that the reason I never drove farther north than noth Street； nor farther south than i4th Street during those two hours； was that I thought Wolfe was probably somewhere within those limits and I didn't want to leave them。
When I did leave them it wasn't voluntary。 Rolling down Second Avenue in the Seventies； I had stopped for a red light abreast of a police car on my left。 Just as the light was changing； the cop on my side stuck his head out and called； 〃Pull over to the curb。〃
Flattered at the attention as any motorist would be； not； I obeyed。 The police car came alongside； and the cop got out and invented another new phrase。 〃Let me see your license。〃
I got it out and handed it to him； and he took a look。
〃Yeah； I thought I recognized you。〃 He handed the license back； walked around the front of my car to the other side； got in beside me； and suggested； 〃Let's go to the Nineteenth Precinct。 Sixty…seventh east of Lexington。〃
〃That's one idea；〃 I admitted。 〃Or what's wrong with the Brooklyn Botanical Garden； especially on Easter？ I'll toss you for it。〃
He was unmoved。 〃e on； Goodwin； e on。 I know you're a card； I've heard all about you。 Let's go。〃
〃Give me one reason； good or bad。 If you don't mind？〃
〃I don't know the reason。 All I know is the word that came an hour ago； to pick you up and take you in。 Maybe you shouldn't have left the infant on the church steps on Easter Day。〃
〃Of course not；〃 I agreed。 〃We'll go get it。〃
I eased away from the curb into traffic； with the police car trailing behind。
Our destination； the Nineteenth Precinct Station； was not new to me。 That was where I had once spent most of a night； conversing with Lieutenant Rowcliff； the Con Noonan of the New York Police Department。
After escorting me in to the desk and telling the sergeant about it； my captor had a point to make。 His name was not John F。 O'Brien； it was John R。 O'Brien。 He explained to the sergeant that he had to insist on it because last year one of his heroic acts had been credited to John F。； and once was enough； and he damn well wanted credit for spotting a wanted man on the street。 That attended to； he bade me a pleasant goodby and left。 Meanwhile the sergeant was making a phone call。 When he hung up he looked at me with a more active interest。
〃Westchester wants you；〃 he announced。 〃Leaving the scene of a crime and leaving jurisdiction。 Want to drag it out？〃
〃It might be fun； but I doubt it。 What happens if I don't？〃
〃There's a Westchester man downtown。 He's on his way up here to take you。〃
I shook my head。 〃I'll fight like a cornered rat。 I know fourteen lawyers all told。 Ten to one he has no papers。 This is one of those brotherly acts which I do not like。 You're on a spot。 Sergeant。〃
〃Don't scare me to death。 If he has no papers I'll send you downtown and let them handle it。〃
〃Yeah；〃 I admitted； 〃that would let you out。 But we can make it simpler for both of us if you care to。 Get the Westchester DA on the phone and let me talk to him。 I'll even pay for the call。〃
At first he didn't like the idea and then he did。 I think what changed his mind was the chance of picking up a piece of hot gossip on the murder of the month。 He had to be persuaded； but when I told him the DA would be at the Rackham place and gave him the number； that settled it。 He put the call in。 However； he covered。 When he got the number he made it clear that he merely wanted to offer the DA an opportunity to speak to Archie Goodwin if he wished to。 He did。 I circled the railing to get to the desk and took the phone。
〃Mr。 Archer？〃
〃Yes！ This is…〃
〃Just a minute！〃 I said emphatically。 〃Whatever you were going to say this is； I double it。 It's an outrage。 It…〃
〃You were told to stay here； and you sneaked away！ You left…〃
〃I was not told to stay there。 You asked me if I was staying at Leed's place； and I said my bag was there； and you said you would want me today； and I said of course。 If I had stayed at Leed's place I might have been permitted seven hours' sleep。 I decided to do something else with seven hours； and they're not up yet。 But you see fit to ring a bell on me。 I'll do one of two things。 I'll have a bite of lunch and then drive up there； unacpanied； or I'll make it as hard as I possibly can for this man you sent to get me outside the city limits…whichever you prefer。 Here he es now。〃
〃Here who es？〃
〃Your man。 ing in the door。 If you decide you want to see me today； tell him not to trail along behind me。 It makes me self…conscious。〃
A silence。 Then； 〃You were told not to leave the county。〃
〃I was not。 By no one。〃
〃Neither you nor Wolfe was at home at eleven o'clock…or if you were you wouldn't see my man。〃
〃I was in the Easter parade；〃
Another silence； longer。 〃What time will you be here？ At Birchvale。〃
〃I can make it by two o'clock。〃
〃My man is there？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Let me talk to him。〃
That was satisfactory。 I liked that all right； except for one thing。 After the Westchester dick was finished on the phone and it was setded that I would roll my own； and the s