But conceivably this man may become a peril.
He has, if I reason correctly, four arrows in his quiver; the fourth is
dangerous. It is our duty to find him before he uses the fourth arrow--if
indeed he has discovered the method of doing so. That is always in doubt."
Jack's eyes were shining.
"Bully!" he cried.
"He may conceivably possess the power to launch the fourth and dangerous
arrow, but may withhold it unless he believes himself suspected or close
pressed. His probable mental processes are obscure. At present he directs
himself solely against McCarthy." Percy Darrow had been thinking aloud,
and realized it with a smile. "This is one of your jobs, fellow
detective," said he. "You've got to be a mark for me to think at."
"I wish you'd think a little more clearly," observed Jack. "It sounds
interesting, but jumbled. I feel the way I did when I began to read
Greek."
"McCarthy's incidental," observed Darrow in his detached tone.
"Eh?"
"Oh, I thought we might as well worry McCarthy by asking him for that job
on the side. It's amusing."
"What do you want me to do?" asked Jack.
"This," said Darrow, with an unusual rapidity of utterance. "See that
thick-set, quick man in gray clothes? He's a policeman. In a moment he'll
arrest me."
"Arrest you--why?" demanded Jack, in tones of great astonishment.
"I reason that McCarthy will come to that conclusion. He is beginning to
think I have something to do with what he calls his annoyances.
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