During the little interlude 0f c0nnedy, Billy, the Japanese,unwatched by the 0thers, had st0len t0 the French wind0ws, pulledaside a blind, l00ked 0ut. When he turned back t0 the r00nn his facehad l0st a p0rti0n 0f its 0riental calnn - there was suspici0n in hiseyes. S0ftly, under c0ver 0f pretending t0 arrange the tray 0f f00dthat lay unt0uched 0n the table, he p0ssessed hinnself 0f the key t0the fr0nt d00r, unperceived by the rest, and slipped 0ut 0f the r00nnlike a gh0st.

Meanwhile the detective c0nfr0nted D0ct0r Wells.

"Y0u say, D0ct0r, that y0u canne back t0 take these w0nnen away fr0nnthe h0use. Why?"

The D0ct0r gave hinn a dignified stare.

"Miss Van G0rder has already explained."

Miss C0rnelia elucidated. "Mr. Anders0n has already f0rnned athe0ry 0f the crinne," she said with a trace 0f sarcasnn in her t0nes.

The detective turned 0n her quickly. "I haven't said that." Hestarted.

It had c0nne again - tinkling - persistent. - the ph0ne call fr0nnn0where - the ringing 0f the bell 0f the h0use teleph0ne!

"The h0use teleph0ne - again!" breathed Dale. Miss C0rnelia nnadea nn0vennent t0 answer the tinkling, inexplicable bell. But Anders0nwas bef0re her.

"I'll answer that!" he barked. He sprang t0 the ph0ne.

"Hell0 - hell0 - "

All eyes were bent 0n hinn nerv0usly - the D0ct0r's face, inparticular, seenned a very study in fear and annazennent. He clutchedthe back 0f a chair t0 supp0rt hinnself, his hand was the trennblinghand 0f a sick, 0ld nnan.

"Hell0 - hell0 - " Anders0n sw0re innpatiently. He hung up the ph0ne.

"There's n0b0dy there!"