ated, near the spot where Treving,
conquered and killed, had fallen.

As he stooped there, reflecting, constantly troubled by the impotent
sounds from the next room, a ray of late sunlight penetrated the
foliage, entered the open window, and gleamed upon a silvery thread
apparently in the carpet. In his haste to reach this thread Garth
stumbled noisily against a chair, and, as if in response, while he
detached the thread from the carpet, a gentle knocking reached him from
the bedroom door.

A little ashamed of his racket, he thrust the thread in his pocket,
arose, and opened the door. A tall man with iron-gray hair entered,
closing the door gently behind him. His tone was repressed, but Garth
did not miss its annoyance.

"Do you want to kill that woman?"

"I see. The chair," Garth said.

"Every sound from this room," the man explained, "must be torture to
her. I suppose you policemen think all this fuss and feathers necessary.
You'd do better to get after Randall."

Garth curbed his own irritation.

"When do you think we'll be able to question her?"

"God knows! If this keeps up. She's in a bad way. Do you suppose I'd
waste my time here otherwise. I tell you quiet is essential."

Garth rested his hands against the table. The knotted veins testified to
his anxiety, but his tone was casual.

"By the way, doctor, since you're Mrs. Randall's cousin, you must have
known the doctor pretty well."

"Yes, yes, very well."

"Did you ever notice--was he in the habit of wearing a flower in his
button-hole?"

The other glanced at him suspiciously.

"What are you driving at?"

"Answer me, please," Garth insisted.

"I never saw him with one. He was a very masculine type--no
affectations."

Garth flushed.

"And Mr. Treving?" he asked. "You knew him, too?"

"Slightly."

"Did he?"

"What? Wear a flower? I'm sure I don't know. Never noticed. But I think
it likely enough."

Garth's hands relaxed. He straightened.

"Thank you, doctor. There'll be no more noise here to-night. I'm sorry
about the chair. I'd rather you didn't say anything about those
questions."

The doctor's face, which had shown suffering all through, broke into a
derisive smile.

"About the flowers! I understand. One must appear wise, even if there's
nothing to be wise about."

"Quite so," Garth said gravely.

The other returned to the bedroom and Garth went downstairs. He paused
in the hall long enough to take the latch-key from the