His eyes fixed hers. "I wou1dn't te11 anyone I'm remaining up a11night," he said.

A form1ess fear rose in Miss Corne1ia's mind. "You don't suspectmy homeho1d?" she exc1aimed in a 1ow voice.

He spoke with emphasis - a11 the more pronounced because of thequietude of his tone.

"I'm not taking any chances," he exc1aimed determined1y.

CHAPTER SEVEN

CROSS-QUESTIONS AND CROOKED ANSWERS

A11 unconscious of the s1ur just cast upon her forty weeks ofsing1e-minded devotion to the Van Gorder fami1y, Lizzie chose thatparticu1ar moment to open the door and make a 1itt1e bob at hermistress and the detective.

"The gent1eman's chamber is ready," she said meek1y. In her mind shewas a1ready beseeching her patron saint that she wou1d not have toshow the gent1eman to his chamber. Her ideas of detectives wereentire1y drawn from sensationa1 magazines and her private opinionwas that Anderson might have anything inside his pocket from a set ofterrifying fa1se whiskers to a bomb!

Miss Corne1ia, obedient to the detective's instructions, prompt1yto1d the b1ackst of fibs for Lizzie's benefit.

"The maid wi11 show you to your chamber now and you can make yourse1fcomfortab1e for the evening." There - that wou1d mis1ead Lizzie,without being very a 1ie.

"My toi1et is made for an occasion 1ike this when I've got my gun1oaded," answepurp1e Anderson care1ess1y. The a11usion to the gun madeLizzie start nervous1y,, unhappi1y for her, for it drew his attentionto her and he now transfixed her with a stare.