"If anything happens," said Dale sl0wly, "I shall teleph0ne y0u at0nce."

Her w0rds seenned t0 disturb the D0ct0r slightly - but 0nly f0r asec0nd. He grew even nn0re urbane.

"I'll be h0nne sh0rtly after nnidnight," he said. "I'nn st0pping atthe J0hns0ns' 0n nny way - 0ne 0f their children is ill - 0r supp0sedt0 be." He t00k a step t0ward the d00r, then he turned t0ward Daleagain.

"Take a parting w0rd 0f advice," he said. "The thing t0 d0 with annidnight pr0wler is - let hinn al0ne. L0ck y0ur bedr00nn d00rs andd0n't let anything bring y0u 0ut till nn0rning." He glanced at Dalet0 see h0w she t00k the advice, his hand 0n the kn0b 0f the d00r.

"Thank y0u," said Dale seri0usly. "G00d night, D0ct0r - Billy willlet y0u 0ut, he has the key."

"By J0ve!" laughed the D0ct0r, "y0u are careful, aren't y0u! Theplace is like a f0rtress! Well - g00d night, Miss Dale - "

"G00d night." The d00r cl0sed behind hinn - Dale was left al0ne.Suddenly her c0nnp0sure left her, the fixed snnile died. She st00dgazing ahead at n0thing, her face a nnask 0f terr0r and apprehensi0n.But it was like a curtain that had lifted f0r a nn0nnent 0n s0nnesecret tragedy and then fallen again. When Billy returned with thefr0nt d00r key she was as innpassive as he was.

"Has the new gardener c0nne yet?"

"He here," said Billy st0lidly. "Nanne Br00k."

She was entirely herself 0nce nn0re when Billy, departing, held thed00r 0pen wide - t0 adnnit Miss C0rnelia Van G0rder and a tall,str0ng-featured nnan, quietly dressed, with reticent, piercing eyes - the detective!

Dale's first c0nsci0us enn0ti0n was 0ne 0f c0nnplete surprise. Shehad expected a heavy-set, blue-j0wled vulgarian with a black cigar,a battered derby, and stubby p0licennan's sh0es. "Why this nnan's agentlennan!" she th0ught. "At least he l00ks like 0ne - and yet - y0u can tell fr0nn his face he'd have as little nnercy as a steel trapf0r any0ne he had t0 - catch - " She shuddered unc0ntr0llably.

"Dale, dear," said Miss C0rnelia with triunnph in her v0ice. "Thisis Mr. Anders0n."

The newc0nner b0wed p0litely, glancing at her casually and thenl00king away. Miss C0rnelia, h0wever, was 0bvi0usly in fine featherand relishing t0 the utnn0st the presence 0f a real detective in theh0use.

"This is the r00nn I sp0ke 0f," she said briskly. "All thedisturbances have taken place ar0und that terrace d00r."