oom.

"I ordered a dinner, but before it was served, I began to be a good deal
surprised at my companion's behavior. She paced up and down the room,
and every now and then she listened at the door which was between us and
room A.

"'I have all a woman's curiosity,' she said, 'I'd like to hear what
those people are saying over their dinner.'

"I tried to make her sit down, and playfully took hold of her. Then I
made a discovery which frightened me.

"The woman had a pistol in her pocket.

"Suddenly she turned upon me and exclaimed:

"'What shall we do after dinner? I'll tell you what I'd like. I want to
go to the theater. Let's see something real funny. Yes, I must go. You
run out now and get the tickets. There's a place just down the street
where they're sold. You can get back before your dinner is cold.'

"Of course, it was perfectly plain that she was trying to get rid of me.
Well, I had no objection. That pistol had scared me badly. I didn't want
to be mixed up in a scandal.

"So I took my hat and cleared out. But once on the street, my courage
came back, and also my curiosity. I wanted to know more of that strange
woman.

"I bought the theater tickets and hurried back. I opened the door of
room B.

"You know what I saw. She sat there dead, with the pistol by her side.
She had committed suicide.

"I rushed out with the intention of calling for help, but fear overcame
me. I looked around into the hall. This man Gaspard was at the desk.

"I dared not summon him. I turned and ran."

Hammond ceased, and a sigh ran around the room. Nick could read relief
in all the faces. The mystery was solved. The innocent man was no longer
to suffer under unjust suspicion.

That was what could be seen in the faces. Hammond's words had the ring
of truth. Neither the superintendent nor Nick nor any other person there
doubted a single statement of his story.

"When Gaspard identified me as the man in room A," Hammond continued, "I
thought I saw a chance to save Mr. Jones very easily, and so I told a
falsehood."

"It was a foolish thing to do," said Nick. "The truth is always best. If
we had known at the outset what we know now, Mr. Jones might have been
spared a great deal of trouble. Since the woman committed suicide--"

"Hold on!" cried the superintendent. "How do you account for the murder
of Corbut?"

"He must have found the body and robbed it. Probably he took some money
and a diamond ring. There was the mark