t in telephony."

"I'm all twisted up, Mr. Drew. I suppose you understand it. But what
about that call to-night--the one that frightened me?"

"The man was sure of himself!" said Drew without thinking. "He has his
plans made. He figures they will not fail!"

"Oh, you mean----"

"I mean, Miss Stockbridge, that he expects to slay you in the same
manner your father was slain. We have this advantage. You are not alone
in this room or these rooms. Your father was alone. The murderer will
have Mr. Nichols and myself to deal with this time! Be calm."

"But--I don't see how he could--get in here?"

"Nor do I. The point is that he got into the library and out again
without trace. He had an hour to do his work in. Here, he is running
every risk."

"But he has already been here, Mr. Drew."

The detective glanced keenly at Nichols, who had shot the statement
straight through clean white teeth.

"I know it," Drew said with a trace of anxiety in his voice. "That is
disquieting. But we have searched these rooms and found absolutely no
trace of tampering with locks or ventilators or window-catches."

"Could he climb up here? He might have climbing irons," added Nichols
glancing toward the windows.

"A good porch-climber could do it," Drew mused, with his eyes sweeping
the curtains. "A very good one could. There are only three or four good
ones out of prisons. They never go in for murder."

"Wouldn't money buy them?" asked Loris. "Mr. Morphy may have retained
one--with some of the gold he stole from poor father."

"Retained," repeated Drew, turning with sudden intentness. "Retained,
is hardly the word, Miss Loris. Hired, is more to the point. Hired
assassins are not uncommon. We have the Becker case and the Hope
murder. We have----"

Drew allowed his voice to trail to a whisper. "We have," he declared,
"our man! There's the front door bell! It's Delaney!"

"You have splendid ears, Mr. Drew."

"I have to have, Miss Stockbridge. Now," he added sharply, "you and Mr.
Nichols go into the library--the writing room. I think the case is
closing. There may be a little excitement if Delaney's got that fellow.
I, for one, am not going to stand much from him. Please go into the
other room. That's right. Stand there, Harry, in case we need a
soldier!"

Drew advanced step by step toward the tapestries. He lifted his gun
from his hip pocket, examined it with narrowed eyes, then replaced it
loosely. He brushed the curtains aside a