about three
o'clock
You know I 'm stretching a point to let you in here -- do n't forget that when you come to write up the case -- honour where 's honour 's due , you know . Well , me and Metzer there was getting ready to close down on a big piece of game , and I was over here in this room talking to him about it early this afternoon . We had it framed to get our man to-night -- see ? I left Metzer , say , about three o'clock , and he was to show up over at headquarters with another little bit of evidence we wanted at eight o'clock to-night . '' Jimmie Dale was listening -- to every word . But he stooped now again over the murdered man 's head deliberately , though he felt the inspector 's rat 's eyes upon him -- stooped , and , with his finger nail , lifted back the right-hand point of the diamond-shaped seal where it bordered a faint thread of blood on the man 's forehead . There was a bull-like roar from the inspector , and he burst through the ring of reporters , and grabbed Jimmie Dale by the shoulder .