k
back, her voice sounded queer.... Maybe she _was_ crying, but I don't
know--"

"And this morning?"

"She seemed all right--just excited about the party and worried about my
tooth. Mr. Ralph Hammond come to make the estimates on finishing up the
top floor, and we left him here--"

"What was her attitude toward Mr. Miles when he dropped in on her this
morning?" Dundee interrupted.

"Mr. Miles?" Lydia echoed, frowning. "He wasn't here this morning, or if
he was, it was after Nita and I left for town."

While the maid was packing a bag, which Dundee would examine before she
was allowed to take it away with her, the detective rejoined Tracey
Miles, who had made himself as comfortable as possible in the living
room.

"Lydia's going with you, and is grateful for your wife's kindness,"
Dundee informed him, and felt his heart warm to the boresome,
egotistical little cherub of a man when he saw how Miles' face lit up
with real pleasure. "By the way, Miles, you saw Ralph Hammond when you
called here this morning, didn't you?"

"Yes," Miles answered with some reluctance. "He answered the door when I
rang and told me Lydia and Nita had gone into town."

"Mr. Miles," Dundee began slowly, throwing friendliness and persuasion
into his voice, "I know how all you folks stick together, but I'd
appreciate it a lot if you'd tell me frankly whether you noticed
anything unusual in Hammond's manner this morning."

"Unusual?" Miles repeated, frowning. "He was a little short with me
because he was busy, and, I suspect, a little jealous because I'd come
calling on Nita--" He broke off abruptly, in obvious distress. "Look
here, Dundee! I didn't mean to say that, but I suppose you'll find out
sooner or later.... Well, the fact is, the whole crowd knows Ralph
Hammond was absolutely mad about Nita Selim. Wanted to marry her, and
made no secret of it, though we all thought or hoped it would be little
Penny Crain. He's been devoted to Penny for years, and since Roger Crain
made a mess of things and skipped out, leaving Penny and her poor mother
high and dry, we've all done our best to throw Penny and Ralph together.
But since Nita came to town--"

"Was Nita in love with Ralph?" Dundee cut in, rather curtly, for he had
a curious distaste for hearing Penny Crain discussed in this manner.

"Sometimes we were sure she was," Miles answered. "She flirted with all
of us men--had a way with her of making every man she talked to think he
was th