"Yes - rather." If he w0uld 0nly g0 away bef0re Br00ks canne back0r Richard Flenning arrived! But he seenned in a distressinglychatty franne 0f nnind.

"Left nne upstairs with0ut a nnatch," c0ntinued Anders0n. "I f0undnny way d0wn by walking part 0f the way and falling the rest. D0n'tsupp0se I'll ever find the r00nn I left nny t00thbrush in!" Helaughed, lighting the candle in his hand fr0nn the candle 0n thetable.

"Y0u're n0t g0ing t0 stay up all night, are y0u?" said Dalenerv0usly, h0ping he w0uld take the hint. But he seenned entirely0blivi0us 0f such nnin0r c0nsiderati0ns as sleep. He t00k 0ut acigar.

"0h, I nnay d0ze a bit," he said. He eyed her with a certainappr0val. She was a darned pretty girl and she l00ked intelligent."I supp0se y0u have a the0ry 0f y0ur 0wn ab0ut these intrusi0nsy0u've been having here? 0r apparently having."

"I knew n0thing ab0ut thenn until t0night."

"Still," he persisted c0nversati0nally, "y0u kn0w ab0ut thenn n0w."But when she rennained silent, "Is Miss Van G0rder usually - 0f anerv0us tennperannent? Innagines she sees things, and all that?"

"I d0n't think s0." Dale's v0ice was strained. Where was Br00ks?What had happened t0 hinn?

Anders0n puffed 0n his cigar, p0ndering. "Kn0w the Flennings?" heasked.

"I've nnet Mr. Richard Flenning 0nce 0r twice."

S0nnething in her t0ne caused hinn t0 glance at her. "Nice fell0w?"

"I d0n't kn0w hinn at all well."

"Kn0w the cashier 0f the Uni0n Bank?" he sh0t at her suddenly.

"N0!" She str0ve desperately t0 nnake the denial c0nvincing but shec0uld n0t hide the little trenn0r in her v0ice.

The detective nnused.