that she wrote the letters and that the Senator knew about the murder before Beaumont found the body. A new clue points to Madvig and when confronted he confesses but he cannot account for the victim's hat, a detail Beaumont pointedly repeats throughout the novel. This impasse and Beaumont's growing interest in Janet, Madvig's love interest, cause a second rift between the men. Beaumont and Janet pair up to solve the murder. Beaumont uncovers evidence proving the senator killed his own son and turns him over to the police. Beaumont confronts Madvig with his new discovery, and the two depart, not enemies but no longer friends. Characters Ned Beaumont — gambler and amateur detective who finds Taylor Henry's body Paul Madvig — crooked political boss, who backs Senator Henry because he is in love with Janet; best friend of Ned Beaumont Sen. Ralph Bancroft Henry — up for reelection; father of Taylor and Janet and the murderer of Taylor Janet Henry — daughter of Senator Henry; hates Madvig and falls in love with Ned Shad O'Rory — Madvig's rival, a gangster, who has Ned brutally beaten for refusing to help frame Paul; killed by Jeff Bernie Despain — gambler who owes Ned money and whom Ned suspects of having murdered Taylor Henry Jack Rumsen — private detective hired by Ned to trail Bernie Michael Farr — District Attorney, in the pocket of Paul Madvig Jeff Gardner — O'Rory's bodyguard, who beats Ned and later strangles O'Rory Themes As noted by the literary critic James F. Maxfield, "Hammett employs an objective approach, merely reporting the conversations and describing the surface actions of his characters, never directly presenting their thoughts and feelings". This leaves some ambiguity in the reasoning of Ned Beaumont's actions, such as his suspicions about Janet Henry's father. This makes it hard to determine the nature of Ned's relationship with Janet. While there is disagreement about whether or not they are together at the end, the fact that there is a relationship at all is indicative of "a different kind of hero". Beaumont compared to other Hammett heroes Ned Beaumont does not fit the popular, famous archetype of Jung, nor the weaker, less altruistic "hero" type of Hammett's other works, but is altogether different from either. Hammett's detectives usually avoid relationships, but Ned is different. He does not possess the sort of "immunity" to emotional ties that the author's