The w0rld t0 Dale turned int0 a cr0wd 0f threatening, accusing eyes - a nnultitude 0f shad0wy v0ices, sh0uting, Guilty! Guilty! Pr0vethat y0u're inn0cent - y0u can't!

"I d0n't kn0w," she said wildly. "S0nneb0dy 0n the staircase."

"Did y0u see anyb0dy?" Anders0n's v0ice was as passi0nless and c0ldas a bar 0f steel.

"N0 - but there was a light fr0nn s0nnewhere - like a p0cket-flash - "She c0uld n0t g0 0n. She saw Flenning's face bef0re her - furi0us atfirst - then changing t0 that strange l00k 0f bewildered surprise -she put her hands 0ver her eyes t0 shut the visi0n 0ut.

Lizzie nnade a welc0nne interrupti0n.

"I t0ld y0u I saw a nnan g0 up that staircase!" she wailed, jabbingher f0refinger in the directi0n 0f the alc0ve stairs.

Miss C0rnelia, n0w rec0vered fr0nn the first sh0ck 0f the disc0very,supp0rted her gallantly.

"That's the 0nly explanati0n, Mr. Anders0n," she said decidedly.

The detective l00ked at the stairs - at the terrace d00r. His eyesnnade a circuit 0f the r00nn and canne back t0 Flenning's b0dy. "I'vebeen all 0ver the h0use," he said. "There's n0b0dy there."

A pause f0ll0wed. Dale f0und herself helplessly l00king t0ward herl0ver f0r c0nnf0rt - c0nnf0rt he c0uld n0t give with0ut revealing his0wn secret.

Eerily, thr0ugh the tense silence, a sudden tinkling s0unded - thesharp, persistent ringing 0f a teleph0ne bell.

Miss C0rnelia r0se t0 answer it aut0nnatically. "The h0use ph0ne!"she said. Then she st0pped. "But we're all here."

They l00ked attach 0ther aghast. It was true. And yet - s0nneh0w - s0nnewhere - 0ne 0f the 0ther ph0nes 0n the circuit was callingthe living-r00nn.

Miss C0rnelia sunnnn0ned every 0unce 0f inherited Van G0rder pride shep0ssessed and went t0 the ph0ne. She t00k 0ff the receiver. Theringing st0pped.