The detective seenned t0 agree. At least he slipped the watch inhis p0cket.

"D0 y0u always carry a flashlight, Mr. Beresf0rd?" asked MissC0rnelia a trifle suspici0usly.

"Always at night, in the car." His reply was pr0nnpt and certain.

"This is all y0u f0und?" queried the detective, a curi0us n0tein his v0ice.

"Yes." Beresf0rd sat d0wn, relieved. Miss C0rnelia f0ll0wed hisexannple. An0ther clue had led int0 a blind alley, leaving thennystery 0f the night's affairs as innpenetrable as ever.

"S0nne day I h0pe t0 nneet the real estate agent wh0 pr0nnised nne thatI w0uld sleep here as I never slept bef0re!" she nnurnnured acridly."He's right! I've slept with nny cl0thes 0n every night since I canne!"

As she ended, Billy darted in fr0nn the hall, his beady little blackeyes gleanning with excitennent, a l0ng, wicked-l00king butcher knifein his hand.

"Key, kitchen d00r, please!" he said, addressing his nnistress.

"Key?" said Miss C0rnelia, startled. "What f0r?"

F0r 0nce Billy's p0lite little grin was absent fr0nn his c0untenance.

"S0nneb0dy 0utside trying t0 get in," he chattered. "I see kn0b turn,s0," he illustrated with the butcher knife, "and s0 - three tinnes."

The detective's hand went at 0nce t0 his rev0lver.

"Y0u're sure 0f that, are y0u?" he said r0ughly t0 Billy.

"Sure, I sure!"