droom.

"I believe I have, but I need Carraway to prove my hunch," Dundee
acknowledged.

Eagerly, swiftly, he displayed his first tangible finds--the open
windows, the drapes smelling of cigarette smoke, the evening paper of
the day before, the faint odor and greasiness of barber's pomade upon
the pillow case of the bed which had clearly been slept in since the
linen was changed.

"Now, Collins--Harmon--" Dundee whirled upon the two silent
plainclothesmen, "I want to know what you saw in these rooms when you
searched them early this evening that you don't see now. You looked into
the closets and drawers, of course?"

"Yes, sir," Collins answered. "And they was all empty, Dundee. Me and
Harmon didn't waste time smelling pillow cases, and I admit we didn't
pay no attention to that there newspaper--"

"_Empty!_" Dundee echoed. "Are you sure?... You, too, Harmon?"

"What are you driving at, boy?" Captain Strawn asked indulgently.

Briefly, with disappointment flattening his voice, Dundee told of his
finding the kitchen door ajar, after he had made sure it was locked on
his first rounds of the house.

"I worked it out this way," he continued, despite Strawn's grin. "Dexter
Sprague was Nita's lover, as I had thought all along. He was in the
habit of spending the night here whenever Nita would give him an evening
of her company. He was here last night, according to the maid, Lydia
Carr. Nita sent her into Hamilton to a picture show. Nita and Sprague
quarreled last night, but I am positive he spent the night here anyway.
Certainly there was no actual rupture, since Sprague worded his note to
her as he did. I have another strong reason for thinking his belongings
were here at least until noon today, but that can wait for the moment.
Furthermore, I am positive that Sprague descended by the backstairs and
went around the house to join the cocktail party which was to follow the
hen bridge party."

"How do you make that out, Bonnie?" Strawn asked, his grin wiped away.

"Try to remember how Sprague looked when you first got here," Dundee
suggested. "I saw him twenty minutes after you did, but--_he was wearing
an immaculate stiff collar, and there were still traces of talcum powder
over a close shave_! And you will remember that he said he had made a
half hour's trip by bus, and had walked the quarter of a mile from the
bus stop on Sheridan Road to this house. It was a mighty hot afternoon,
chief!"

"Not conclusive," Str