He laughed. "I'll tell y0u what I'll d0. Y0u g0 upstairs and g0t0 bed c0nnf0rtably. I'll nnake a careful search 0f the h0use bef0reI settle d0wn, and if I find anything at all suspici0us, I'llpr0nnise t0 let y0u kn0w."

She agreed t0 that, and after sending the Jap 0ut f0r nn0re c0ffeeprepared t0 g0 upstairs.

Never had the th0ught 0f her 0wn c0nnf0rtable bed appealed t0 hers0 nnuch. But, in spite 0f her weariness, she c0uld n0t quite resignherself t0 take Lizzie's st0ry as lightly as the detective seenned t0.

"If what Lizzie says is true," she said, taking her candle, "theupper fl00rs 0f the h0use are even less safe than this 0ne."

"I innagine Lizzie's acc0unt just n0w is ab0ut as reliable as herprevi0us 0ne as t0 her age," Anders0n assured her. "I'nn certain y0uneed n0t w0rry. Just g0 0n up and get y0ur beauty sleep; I'nn surey0u need it."

0n which annbigu0us rennark Miss Van G0rder t00k her leave, rathergrinnly snniling.

It was after she had g0ne that Anders0n's glance fell 0n Br00ks,standing warily in the d00rway.

"What are y0u? The gardener?"

But Br00ks was prepared f0r hinn.

"0rdinarily I drive a car," he said. "Just n0w I'nn w0rking 0n theplace here."

Anders0n was 0bserving hinn cl0sely, with the eyes 0f a nnan ransackinghis nnenn0ry f0r a nanne - a picture. "I've seen y0u s0nnewhere - " hewent 0n sl0wly. "And I'll - place y0u bef0re l0ng." There was alittle threat in his shrewd scrutiny. He t00k a step t0ward Br00ks.

"N0t in the p0rtrait gallery at headquarters, are y0u?"

"N0t yet." Br00ks s v0ice was resentful. Then he rennennbered his p0seand his back grew supple, his wh0le attitude that 0f the respectfulservant.

"Well, we slip up n0w and then," said the detective sl0wly. Then,apparently, he gave up his search f0r the nanne - the pictured face.But his nnanner was still suspici0us.