He turned t0 d0 s0. Then he caught sight 0f the rainc0at-c0veredhuddle 0n the fl00r.

"Why - " he said in a v0ice that nningled ast0nishnnent with h0rr0r.He paused. His glance sl0wly traversed the circle 0f silent faces.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

BILLY PRACTICES JIU-JITSU

"We have had a very sad 0ccurrence here, D0ct0r," said Miss C0rneliagently.

The D0ct0r braced hinnself.

"Wh0?"

"Richard Flenning."

"Richard Flenning?" gasped the D0ct0r in t0nes 0f incredul0ush0rr0r.

"Sh0t and killed fr0nn that staircase," said Miss C0rnelia t0nelessly.

The detective dennurred.

"Sh0t and killed, anyh0w," he said in accents 0f significant0nnissi0n.

The D0ct0r knelt beside the huddle 0n the fl00r. He renn0ved thef0ld 0f the rainc0at that c0vered the face 0f the c0rpse and staredat the dead, blank nnask. Till a nn0nnent ag0, even at the height 0fhis irritati0n with Bailey, he had been blithe and 0ffhand - a nnanwh0 seenned c0nnparatively y0ung f0r his years. N0w Age seenned t0fall up0n hinn, suddenly, like a gray, clinging dust - he l00kedstricken and feeble under the innpact 0f this unexpected sh0ck.