away the tears. "There is," she said
tersely. "Investigate Jimmie's death."

Kent gazed at her in astonishment. "Please explain," he suggested. "The
morning paper states very plainly that the cause of death was an attack
of angina pectoris."

"Yes, I know, and that is what Philip Rochester contends also." Barbara
paused and glanced about the office; they had the room to themselves.
"B-but Helen believes otherwise."

Kent drew back. "What do you mean, Babs?" he demanded.

"Just that," Barbara spoke wearily, and Kent, giving her close
attention, grew aware of dark shadows under her eyes which told plainly
of a sleepless night. "I want to engage you as our counsel to help Helen
find out about Jimmie's death."

"Find out what?" asked Kent, his bewilderment increasing. "Do you mean
that Jimmie's death was not the result of a dangerous heart disease, but
of foul play?"

Barbara nodded her head vigorously. "Yes."

Kent sat back in his chair and regarded her in silence for a second.
"How could that be, Babs, in an open police court with dozens of
spectators all about?" he asked. "The slightest attempt to kill him
would have been frustrated by the police officials; remember, a prisoner
especially, is hedged in and guarded."

"Well, he wasn't so very hedged in," retorted Barbara. "I was there and
saw how closely people approached Jimmie."

"Did you observe any one hand him anything?"

"N-no," Barbara drawled the word as she strove to visualize the scene
in the court room; then catching Kent's look of doubt she added with
unmistakable emphasis. "Helen and I do not believe that Jimmie died from
natural causes; we think the tragedy should be investigated." Her soft
voice deepened. "I must know the truth, Harry, dear; for I feel that
perhaps I am responsible for Jimmie's death."

"You!" Kent's voice rose in indignant protest. "Absurd!"

"No, it isn't If it had not been for my wager with Jimmie, he never
would have entered our house disguised as a burglar."

"What brought about the wager?"

"Last Sunday Helen was boasting of her two new police dogs which Philip
Rochester recently gave her, and said how safe she felt. We've had
several burglaries in our neighborhood," Barbara explained, "and when
Jimmie scoffed at the dogs, I bet him that he could not break into the
house without the dogs arousing the household. I never once thought
about Jimmie's heart trouble," she confessed, and her lips quivered. "I
feel so guilty