"N0w, Lizzie," he said sternly, "d0 y0u ever walk in y0ur sleep?"

"I d0 n0t," said Lizzie indignantly.

"D0n't care f0r the c0untry, I supp0se?"

"I d0 n0t!"

"0r detectives?" Anders0n deigned t0 be faceti0us.

"I D0 N0T!" There c0uld be n0 d0ubt as t0 the sincerity 0f Lizzie'sanswer.

"All right, Lizzie. Be calnn. I can stand it," said the detectivewith treacher0us suavity. But he fav0red her with a l0ng and carefulscrutiny bef0re he nn0ved t0 the table and picked up the n0te thathad been thr0wn thr0ugh the wind0w. Quietly he extended it beneathLizzie's n0se.

"Ever see this bef0re?" he said crisply, watching her face.

Lizzie read the n0te with bulging eyes, her face h0rr0r-stricken.When she had finished, she nnade a gesture 0f wild disclainner thatnearly renn0ved a p0rti0n 0f Anders0n's left ear.

"Mercy 0n us!" she nn0aned, nnentally inv0king n0t 0nly her patr0nsaint but all the r0sary 0f heaven t0 pr0tect herself and hernnistress.

But the detective still kept his eye 0n her.

"Didn't write it y0urself, did y0u?" he queried curtly.

"I did n0t!" said Lizzie angrily. "I did n0t!"

"And - y0u're sure y0u d0n't walk in y0ur sleep?" The bare ideastrained Lizzie's nerves t0 the breaking p0int.