val should have made it
necessary for conspirators to consult free from any danger of
disturbance. But Katherine, he told himself, was assuredly the victim of
coincidence. He couldn't picture her entangled in any of Paredes's
purposes. Her dislike of the man was complete and open. But he saw that
Rawlins out of the mass of apparently inexplicable clues had extracted
this material one and would follow it desperately no matter who was hurt;
and Robinson was behind him. That accounted for their frequent excursions
upstairs during the afternoon, for Rawlins's ascent as soon as they had
returned from the grave. They had evidently found something to sharpen
their suspicions, and Graham probably knew what it was.

Robinson took out his watch.

"We can't put this off too late," he mused.

The detective at his heels, he walked to the library. Bobby started
after them. Graham caught him and they crossed the dining room together.

"What do they mean to do?" Bobby asked.

"I have been afraid of it since this afternoon," Graham answered. "I
haven't cared to talk about it. I had hoped to hold them off. They intend
to search Katherine's room. I think they believe she has something
important hidden there. I've been wondering if they've got track of
Howells's report which we told Jenkins to hide."

"Why," Bobby asked, "should that involve Katherine?"

"Howells may have written something damaging to her. He knew she was
devoted to your interests."

Robinson called to them from the library.

"Won't you please come in, Mr. Blackburn?"

Bobby and Graham continued to the library. They found Rawlins gazing
through the door of the private staircase.

"We could go up this way," he was saying, "and across the old room so
that she needn't suspect."

"What is he talking about?" Bobby asked Robinson angrily.

"You wanted to help," Robinson answered, "so Rawlins and I are going to
give you a chance. We are about to search your cousin's room. We hope to
find there an explanation of a part of the mystery--the motive, at least,
for Howells's death; perhaps your own exoneration. You'd do anything to
have that, wouldn't you? You've said so."

"At her expense!" Bobby cried. "You've no right to go to her room.
She's incapable of a share in such crimes. Do you seriously think she
could plan an escape from the grave and bring back to life a man three
days dead?"

"Give me a human being that caused death," Robinson answered, "and I'll
tackl