one," said he. "I
suppose it is a sort of reward that Nature reserves for effort."

And he smiled at his beautiful visitor's puzzled look, and went on:

"The cab driver says that the cry resembled that of a parrot or
cockatoo. What do you think?"

"It was not unlike their scream," said Miss Vale. "But I was too much
startled to think of comparing it to anything at the time!"

"What happened after you heard this cry?"

"I waited for some little time, part way up the stairs. Then the light
which I had seen glancing over the walls and across the ceiling,
seemed to halt and die down. After this there was a pause, a stoppage
of everything, and fear took possession of me. Suppose Allan had
really intended visiting the place--suppose he had preceded
me--suppose something dreadful had just happened--something in which
he had had a part!

"Filled with thoughts like these, I ascended the remaining stairs.
There was a light shining through the lettered glass of the door at
the front; but the hall was deserted; the far end was thick with
shadows. I tried the door where the light was, but it was fast; the
door nearest the stairs was open; I entered by that, and passed into
the front room through a communicating doorway. Then I saw the--the
body, turned out the light, ran stumbling through the rooms and down
the stairs."

"Why did you turn out the light?" asked the investigator.

"I don't know. Partly, I suppose, to shut the awful thing upon the
floor from my sight--and partly--"

She stopped, but Ashton-Kirk completed the sentence for her.

"And partly with the confused idea that you might hide the deed from
public gaze and in that way save Allan Morris from the consequences of
his crime," said he.

At this she sprang up, her hands outstretched appealingly; the fear
now plain in her face.

"No, no!" she cried. "He is not guilty! He did not do it!"

"My dear young lady," said Ashton-Kirk, soothingly, "control
yourself. Don't forget that before this thing is ended you will
probably need all the self-command you can summon." Then as she
resumed her seat, he added: "I did not say that he was guilty. I was
merely telling you of the formless thought that you had in mind when
you turned out the light."

She sat staring at him, the horror of it all still in her eyes. Then
she nodded her head slowly, and said in a husky voice.

"Yes; that is what I thought, and that is why I called you on the
telephone. I thought you wou