at, the light gossamer hat, with
flowers in it, that still hung on a peg.

"Oh, I am so glad to get it back," cried the girl. "I can never thank
you enough. I was afraid to come for it."

"It is all right," said the Inspector. "The police theory was that it
was the housekeeper's hat. You are welcome to it."

Kent had been looking closely at the girl before him.

"You have more to say than that," he said. "Tell me all."

"Oh, I will, I will, Mr. Kent. That dreadful night! I was here. I saw,
at least I heard it all."

She shuddered.

"Oh, Mr. Kent, it was dreadful! I had come back that evening to the
library to finish some work. I knew that Mr. Kelly was to dine out and
that I would be alone. I had been working quietly for some time when I
became aware of voices in the billiard-room. I tried not to listen, but
they seemed to be quarrelling, and I couldn't help hearing. Oh, Mr.
Kent, was I wrong?"

"No," said Kent, taking her hand a moment, "you were not."

"I heard one say, 'Get your foot off the table, you've no right to put
your foot on the table.' Then the other said, 'Well, you keep your
stomach off the cushion then.'" The girl shivered. "Then presently one
said, quite fiercely, 'Get back into balk there, get back fifteen
inches,' and the other voice said, 'By God! I'll shoot from here.' Then
there was a dead stillness, and then a voice almost screamed, 'You've
potted me. You've potted me. That ends it.' And then I heard the other
say in a low tone, 'Forgive me, I didn't mean it. I never meant it to
end that way.'

"I was so frightened, Mr. Kent, I couldn't stay any longer. I rushed
downstairs and ran all the way home. Then next day I read what had
happened, and I knew that I had left my hat there, and was afraid. Oh,
Mr. Kent, save me!"

"Miss Delary," said the Investigator, taking again the girl's hands and
looking into her eyes, "you are safe. Tell me only one thing. The man
who played against Kivas Kelly--did you see him?"

"Only for one moment"--the girl paused--"through the keyhole."

"What was he like?" asked Kent. "Had he an impenetrable face?"

"He had."

"Was there anything massive about his face?"

"Oh, yes, yes, it was all massive."

"Miss Delary," said Kent, "this mystery is now on the brink of solution.
When I have joined the last links of the chain, may I come and tell you
all?"

She looked full in his face.

"At any hour of the day or night," she said, "you may come."

Then s