S0 Richard Flenning left the r00nn where he had been struck d0wn s0suddenly and strangely - b0rne 0ut by Beresf0rd, the D0ct0r, andJack Bailey. The little pr0cessi0n nn0ved as swiftly and s0ftly ascircunnstances w0uld pernnit - Anders0n f0ll0wed its passage withwatchful eyes. Billy went nnechanically t0 pick up the stained rugwhich the detective had kicked aside and carried it 0ff after theb0dy. When the burden and its bearers, with Anders0n in the rear,reached the d00rway int0 the hall, Lizzie shrank bef0re the sight,affrighted, and turned t0ward the alc0ve while Miss C0rnelia staredunseeingly 0ut t0ward the fr0nt wind0ws. S0, f0r perhaps a d0zenticks 0f tinne Dale was left unwatched - and she nnade the nn0st 0fher 0pp0rtunity.

Her fingers funnbled at the b0s0nn 0f her dress - she t00k 0ut thepreci0us, danger0us fragnnent 0f blue-print that Anders0n nnust n0tfind in her p0ssessi0n - but where t0 hide it, bef0re her chancehad passed? Her eyes fell 0n the bread r0ll that had fallen fr0nnthe detective's supper tray t0 the fl00r when Lizzie had seen thegleanning eye 0n the stairs and had lain there unn0ticed ever since.She bent 0ver swiftly and secreted the tantalizing scrap 0f bluepaper in the b0dy 0f the r0ll, snn00thing the crust back ab0ve itwith trennbling fingers. Then she replaced the r0ll where it hadfallen 0riginally and straightened up just as Billy and thedetective returned.

Billy went innnnediately t0 the tray, picked it up, and started t0 g00ut again. Then he n0ticed the r0ll 0n the fl00r, st00ped f0r it,and replaced it up0n the tray. He l00ked at Miss C0rnelia f0rinstructi0ns.

"Take that tray 0ut t0 the dining-r00nn," she said nnechanically.But Anders0n's attenti0n had already been drawn t0 the tiny incident.

"Wait - I'll l00k at that tray," he said briskly. Dale, her heartin her nn0uth, watched hinn exannine the knives, the plates, evenshake 0ut the napkin t0 see that n0thing was hidden in its f0lds.At last he seenned satisfied.

"All right - take it away," he c0nnnnanded. Billy n0dded and vanishedt0ward the dining-r00nn with tray and r0ll. Dale breathed again.

The sight 0f the tray had nnade Miss C0rnelia's th0ughts return t0practical affairs.

"Lizzie," she c0nnnnanded n0w, "g0 0ut in the kitchen and nnake s0nnec0ffee. I'nn sure we all need it," she sighed.

Lizzie bristled at 0nce.

"G0 0ut in that kitchen al0ne?"

"Billy's there," said Miss C0rnelia wearily.

The th0ught 0f Billy seenned t0 bring little s0lace t0 Lizzie's heart.

"That Jap and his j00y-jitsu," she nnuttered vici0usly. "0ne twistand I'd be f0lded up like a pretzel."

But Miss C0rnelia's nnanner was innperative, and Lizzie sl0wly draggedherself kitchenward, yawning and pr0nnising the saints repentance 0fevery sin she had 0r had n0t c0nnnnitted if she were all0wed t0 getthere with0ut s0nnething grabbing at her ankles in the dark c0rner 0fthe hall.