scuss Ralph Hammond and his--affairs, that you
beckoned Miss Beale to meet you in the solarium upon your arrival?"

"It--_was not_!"

A shade too much anger and emphasis, Dundee decided. And he wished
heartily that Strawn's detectives would not delay much longer in
bringing the missing young man into this already involved examination.

"You say that you both were in the solarium from the time of your
arrival, Hammond, until Mrs. Marshall screamed," Dundee continued. "Just
what did you see and hear?"

Dundee watched their faces keenly, but again they were well-bred,
expressionless. It was Polly Beale who answered: "Naturally there was
not absolute silence, but I am afraid we were not listening. We were
rather engrossed in our conversation. We were seated--near no
windows--and I for one _saw_ nothing, as well as heard nothing that I
can recall."

"Hammond?"

"That goes for me, too--absolutely!"

Abruptly abandoning the engaged couple, Dundee returned to Miles. "You
were the second arrival, then?"

"Yes. I parked my car along the curb in front of the house," Tracey
answered readily. "And I came right on in, and Nita jumped up--"

"Yes. We've had all that twice before," Dundee interrupted cruelly.
"Now, Judge Marshall--"

"One of my friends gave me a lift from town," Judge Marshall volunteered
pompously. "Chap named Sampson. You may have heard of him--fine fellow,
splendid lawyer. We played billiards together at the Athletic Club, and
when I was about to call a taxi--my wife having the car here--he offered
to drop me here on his way to the Country Club.... N-no, I don't
remember the exact time, did not consult my watch."

"You came directly from the road into the house, Judge Marshall?"

"Certainly, sir!"

"Did you--er, see anyone?"

"You mean, sir, did anyone see _me_?" Judge Marshall demanded with
pompous indignation. "No, no one, sir! If my word is not good enough for
you, you can think what you damned please!"

"I think we are all getting a little too tired, Mr. Dundee," Penny Crain
suggested, almost humble in her weariness.

"I'm truly sorry," the young detective apologized. "But I can't leave
things like this ... Mr. Drake, you have said you walked over from the
Country Club. You must have approached the house from the driveway side,
the side of the house which contains Mrs. Selim's bedroom.... Is that
right?"

"More or less, except that I skirted the house rather widely and arrived
from the roa