n her spine.

"It is," agreed Stone. "What possessed Jimmie Turnbull to play so mad a
trick?"

"His wager with Barbara."

Stone leaned a little nearer. "Have you learned the nature of that
wager?" he asked, lowering his voice.

"No. Babs was in so hysterical a condition when she returned from
the police court that she gave a very incoherent account of the whole
affair, and she has kept her room ever since luncheon," explained Mrs.
Brewster.

Stone looked puzzled. "I understood that Jimmie was attentive to Helen
McIntyre and not to Barbara," he said. "But upon my word, Barbara
appeared more overcome by Jimmie's death than Helen."

Mrs. Brewster did not reply at once; instead, she glanced carefully
around. The room was generally the rallying place of the McIntyres. It
stretched across almost the entire width of the house; the diamond-paned
and recessed windows gave it a medieval air in keeping with its antique
furniture, and the seven doors opening from it led, respectively, to the
large dining room beyond, a morning room, billiard room, the front and
back halls, and the Italian loggia which over-looked the stretch of
ground between the McIntyre residence and its neighbor on the north.
Apparently, she and Dr. Stone had the room to themselves.

"I cannot answer your question with positiveness," she stated. "Frankly,
Jimmie appeared impartial in his attentions to the twins. When he wasn't
with Barbara he was with Helen, and vice versa."

Stone gazed at her in some perplexity. "Are you aware that Helen stated
at the police court this morning that she was Turnbull's fiancee?"

"What!" Mrs. Brewster actually bounced in her seat. "You--you astound
me!"

"I was a bit surprised myself," acknowledged the physician. "I thought
Rochester--however, that is neither here nor there. Helen not only
announced she was Jimmie's fiancee but as such demanded that a
post-mortem examination be held to determine the cause of his death."

Mrs. Brewster's pretty color faded and the glance she turned on her
cousin was sharp. "Why should Helen suspect foul play?" she demanded.
"For that is what her request hinted."

"True." Stone pulled his beard absentmindedly. "Ah, here is Colonel
McIntyre," he exclaimed as the portieres before the hall door parted and
a tall man strode into the library.

McIntyre was a favorite with the old physician, and he welcomed his
arrival with warmth. Exchanging a word of greeting with Mrs. Brewster,
McInt