d been entirely centered
on Helen. He had heard, but had not realized until that moment, how
striking was the resemblance between the sisters.

"Miss McIntyre," the coroner cleared his throat and commenced his
examination. "Where were you on Monday night?"

"At a dance given by Mr. and Mrs. Charles Grosvenor."

"At what hour did you return?"

"I think it was half past five or a few minutes earlier."

"Who let you in?"

"My sister."

"Did you see the burglar?"

"He had left," she answered. "My sister told me of her adventure as we
went upstairs to our rooms."

"Miss McIntyre," Penfield picked up a page of the deputy coroner's
closely written notes, and ran his eyes down it. "Your sister has
testified that James Turnbull went to your house disguised as a burglar
on a wager with you. What were the terms of that wager?"

"I bet him that he could not enter the house after midnight without
his presence being detected by our new police dogs," exclaimed Barbara
slowly. She had stopped twirling her gloves about, and one hand was
firmly clenched over the arm of her chair.

"Did the dogs discover his presence in the house?"

"Apparently not, or they would have aroused the household," she said. "I
cannot answer that question, though, because I was not at home."

"Where are the dogs kept?"

"In the garage in the daytime."

"And at night?" he persisted.

"They roam about our house," she admitted, "or sleep in the boudoir,
which is between my sister's bedroom and mine.

"Were the dogs in the house on Monday night?"

"I did not see them on my return from the dance."

"That is not an answer to my question, Miss McIntyre," the coroner
pointed out. "Were the dogs in the house?"

There was a distinct pause before she spoke. "I recall hearing our
butler, Grimes, say that he found the dogs in the cellar. Mr. Turnbull's
shocking death put all else out of my mind; I never once thought of the
dogs."

"In spite of the fact that it was a wager over the dogs which brought
about the whole situation?" remarked the coroner dryly.

Barbara flushed at his tone, then grew pale.

"I honestly forgot about the dogs," she repeated. "Father sent them out
to our country place Tuesday afternoon; they annoyed our--our guest,
Mrs. Brewster."

"In what way?"

"By barking--'they are noisy dogs."

"And yet they did not arouse the household when Mr. Turnbull broke into
the house"--Coroner Penfield regarded her sternly. "How do you