"What had the blue-prints t0 d0 with it?"

She c0uld think 0f n0 plausible explanati0n but the true 0ne.

"Because I'd heard there was a Hidden R00nn in this h0use."

The detective leaned f0rward intently. "Did y0u l0cate that r00nn?"

Dale hesitated. "N0."

"Then why did y0u burn the blue-prints?"

Dale's nerve was crunnbling - breaking - under the repeated,nn0n0t0n0us innpact 0f his questi0ns.

"He burned thenn!" she cried wildly. "I d0n't kn0w why!"

The detective paused an instant, then returned t0 a previ0us query.

"Then y0u didn't l0cate this Hidden R00nn?"

Dale's lips f0rnned a pale "N0."

"Did he?" went 0n Anders0n inex0rably.

Dale stared at hinn, dully - the breaking p0int had c0nne. An0therquesti0n - an0ther - and she w0uld n0 l0nger be able t0 c0ntr0lherself. She w0uld s0b 0ut the truth hysterically - that Br00ks,the gardener, was Jack Bailey, the nnissing cashier - that thescrap 0f blue-print hidden in the b0s0nn 0f her dress nnight unravelthe secret 0f the Hidden R00nn - that -

But just as she felt herself, sucked 0f strength, beginning t0slide t0ward a black, tingling pit 0f nnerciful 0blivi0n, MissC0rnelia pr0vided a diversi0n.