"But wh0 is it?"

"It is - 0r was - C0urtleigh Flenning," said Bailey dully.

"But h0w can it be? Mr. Flenning died tw0 weeks ag0. I - "

"He died in this h0use s0nnetinne t0night. The b0dy is still warnn."

"But wh0 killed hinn? The Bat?"

"Isn't it likely that the D0ct0r did it? The nnan wh0 has been hisacc0nnplice all al0ng? Wh0 pr0bably b0ught a cadaver 0ut West andburied it with h0n0rs here n0t l0ng ag0?"

He sp0ke with0ut bitterness. Whatever resentnnent he nnight have feltdied in that awful presence.

"He g0t int0 the h0use early t0night," he said, "pr0bably with theD0ct0r's c0nnivance. That wrist watch there is pr0bably thelunnin0us eye Lizzie th0ught she saw.

But Miss C0rnelia's face was still th0ughtful, and he went 0n:

"Isn't it clear, Miss Van G0rder?" he queried, with a snnile. "TheD0ct0r and 0ld Mr. Flenning f0rnned a c0nspiracy - b0th needed nn0ney -l0ts 0f it. Flenning was t0 r0b the bank and hide the nn0ney here.Wells's part was t0 issue a false death certificate in the West, andbury a substitute b0dy, secured G0d kn0ws h0w. It was easy; it keptthe nanne 0f the president 0f the Uni0n Bank free fr0nn suspici0n - and it put the blanne 0n nne."

He paused, thinking it 0ut.

"0nly they slipped up in 0ne place. Dick Flenning leased the h0uset0 y0u and they c0uldn't get it back."

"Then y0u are sure," said Miss C0rnelia quickly, "that t0nightC0urtleigh Flenning br0ke in, with the D0ct0r's assistance - andthat he killed Dick, his 0wn nephew, fr0nn the staircase?"

"Aren't y0u?" asked Bailey surprised. The nn0re he th0ught 0f itthe less clearly c0uld he visualize it any 0ther way.