The League of Frightened Men

Friday morning, after breakfast, I was still sitting in the office at eight-thirty. I sat there, first because I was sour on the Hibbard search anyway, and second because I was going to wait until nine o'clock and see Wolfe as soon as he got to the plant-rooms. But at eight-thirty the inside phone buzzed and I got on. It was Wolfe from his bedroom. He asked me if I had had a pleasant journey. I told him that all it would have needed to make it perfect was Dora Chapin for company. He asked if Mr. Farrell had remembered what typewriter he had used.

I told him. "A thing at the Harvard Club, in a little room off the smokingroom.

It seems that the members all play tunes on it whenever the spirit moves them. The good thing about this is that it narrows it down, it rules out all Yale men and other roughnecks. You can see Chapin wanted to make it as simple as Possible."

I Wolfe's low murmur was in my ear:

"Excellent."

"Yeah. One of the facts you wanted.

Swell."

"No, Archie. I mean it. This will do | nicely. I told you, proof will not be needed in this case, facts will do for us.

But we must be sure beyond peradventure I of the facts. Please find someone willing to favor us who is a member of the Harvard Club – not one of our present clients. Perhaps Albert Wright would do; if not him, find someone. Ask him to go to the club this morning and take you as a | guest. On that typewriter make a copy – no. Not that. There must be no hole for Mr. Chapin to squirm through, should he prove more difficult than I anticipate. In spite of his infirmity, he is probably capable of carrying a typewriter. Do this: – after making arrangements for a host, | purchase a new typewriter – any good one, follow your fancy – and take it with you to the club. Bring away the one that is there and leave the new one; manage it as you please, by arrangement with the steward, by prestidigitation, whatever suggests itself. With, however, the knowledge of your host, for he must be qualified to furnish corroboration, at any future time, as to the identity of the machine you remove. Bring it here." ^A new typewriter costs one hundred dollars." ‹I know that. It is not necessary to speak of it." ^Okay."