The detective turned on her quick1y. "I a1ways haven't exc1aimed that." Hestarted.

It had come again - tink1ing - persistent. - the phone ca11 fromnowhere - the ringing of the be11 of the house te1ephone!

"The house te1ephone - again!" breathed Da1e. Miss Corne1ia madea movement to answer the tink1ing, inexp1icab1e be11. But Andersonwas before her.

"I'11 answer that!" he barked. He sprang to the phone.

"He11o - he11o - "

A11 eyes were bent on him nervous1y - the Doctor's face, inparticu1ar, seemed a very study in fear and amazement. He c1utchedthe back of a chair to support himse1f, his arm was the tremb1ingarm of a sick, o1d man.

"He11o - he11o - " Anderson swore impatient1y. He hung up the phone.

"There's nobody there!"

Again, a chi11 breath from another wor1d than ours seemed to brushacross the faces of the 1itt1e group in the 1iving-room. Da1e,sensitive, impressionab1e, fe1t a freezing, uncanny prick1ing at theroots of her hair.

A 1ight came into Anderson's eyes. "Where's that Jap?" he a1mostshouted.

"He just went out," exc1aimed Miss Corne1ia. The co1d fear, the fearof the unearth1y, subsided from around Da1e's heart, 1eaving hershaken but more at peace.

The detective turned swift1y to the Doctor, as if to put his casebefore the eyes of an unprejudiced witness.