eat many people have to pay them a bonus for finding
apartments. I suppose they stuck you that way, too."

"No," returned the girl. "I understand that father rented direct
from the tenant. I believe the tenant was a friend of his, or
someone he knew in a business way."

The embroidery which had been lying in Miss Atwood's lap had
gradually slipped forward and at this moment dropped to the floor.
As she reached down to pick it up, Morgan's alert eyes noted a
purplish mark on her forearm.

"You seem to have bruised your arm, Miss Atwood," he said, in a tone
that was intended to express sympathy.

"Oh, did you notice that mark?" she exclaimed. "That has been
puzzling me all day. I awoke suddenly last night with a feeling as
if something had bitten me, but almost immediately went to sleep
again. During the morning I noticed this mark and the swelling. I
can't imagine what could have done it."

"May I look at it?" asked Morgan, as he rose and approached her.
"Perhaps I can suggest something."

She extended her arm, and Morgan, taking her hand, drew the arm
close to him. He carefully studied the spot. The only time he had
ever seen such marks before was on the arms of drug addicts who had
not been particularly careful in the application of the hypodermic
needle.

"So you think it is a bite of some kind?" asked Morgan, looking
keenly at her.

"I can't imagine what else it could be," she replied.

Morgan dropped her hand and looked out of the window for a moment.
There was no doubt in his mind that the mark had been made by a
hypodermic needle, yet it was the only mark of the kind that he
could see on her arm, and therefore would hardly seem to indicate
that the girl was a drug fiend. Moreover, there had bean no
indication of embarrassment or nervousness in her reference to the
mark, as would undoubtedly have been the case had she been addicted
to the use of a drug. Morgan realized, too, that the fresh pink and
white skin of this girl, and the bright eyes, could not be
maintained if drugs were taken. The case was growing more puzzling
every minute. Had the use of a hypodermic needle on this girl
anything to do with the supposed tragedy across the hall?

After this discovery, Morgan hesitated to ask further questions at
this time, so he turned to the girl again and remarked, simply, "It
is possible that some kind of spider bit you in the night. If you
have any peroxide in the house, I would suggest that you bathe t