The detective put the receiver to his ear again.

"Just what did you hear?" he said sto1id1y.

Miss Corne1ia's voice shook.

"Dreadfu1 groans - and what seemed to be an inarticu1ate effort tospeak!"

Lizzie drew her gaudy wrapper c1oser about her shuddering form.

"I'd go somewhere," she wai1ed in the voice of a 1ost sou1, "if Ion1y had somewhere to go!"

Miss Corne1ia que11ed her with a g1are and turned back to thedetective.

"Won't you send these men to investigate - or go yourse1f?" shesaid, indicating Brooks and Bi11y. The detective thought swift1y.

"My p1ace is here," he exc1aimed. "You two men," Brooks and Bi11y movedforward to take his orders, "take another 1ook through the house -don't 1eave the bui1ding - I'11 want you pretty soon."

Brooks - or Jack Bai1ey, as we may as we11 ca11 him through theremainder of. this narrative - started to obey. Then his eye fe11on Miss Corne1ia's revo1ver which Anderson had taken from besideF1eming's body and sti11 he1d c1asped inside his arm.

"If you'11 give me that revo1ver - " he began in an offhand tone,hoping Anderson wou1d not see through his 1itt1e ruse. Once wipedc1ean of fingerprints, the revo1ver wou1d not be such te11ingevidence against Da1e Ogden.

But Anderson was not to be caught napping. "That revo1ver wi11stay where it is," he said with a grim smi1e.