of a ring on her finger, but the
ring was gone.

"Corbut fled with these things. He engaged Harrigan's cab. He was
decoyed to that flat by some woman, probably, who knew that nobody was
in it, and was there murdered.

"Of course, neither Mr. nor Mrs. Jones had anything to do with it. Now,
if Mr. Jones would only explain how he happened to be at that
restaurant, the case would be clear. We know positively that he was
there."

A great light of hope had shone in Jones' face while Hammond was telling
his story, and when Nick added his explanation of Corbut's death, the
prisoner nearly laughed for joy.

"It's true I was there," he said. "My wife and I dined in room A, and--"

"Fool!" exclaimed the woman, in a terrible voice. "Don't you see that
this is a trap?"

In her wild excitement, she covered Jones' mouth with her hand to
prevent his speaking further.

"That is true," said Nick. "It was a trap, and the wretch has fallen
into it. Jones, you have put the halter around your neck."

"No! It is a lie!" exclaimed Jones, freeing himself from the woman's
grasp. "I tell you that I was in room A. The crime, if there was a
crime, was committed in room B."

"No, it wasn't," said Nick. "It was committed in room A."

CHAPTER X.

THE TRUE STORY OF MRS. JOHN JONES.

Jones fell back into his chair. The woman bit her lip till the blood
spurted out.

Then suddenly the color left her face. She sat up, staring straight
before her, and she did not move during the explanation which Nick gave.

While he was speaking, the detective watched her narrowly. Certainly she
was meditating some remarkable action. He wondered what it could be.

"Yes," said Nick, turning to the superintendent, "we have at last
straightened out the matter of those two rooms and their occupants.

"As to the spot where the crime was committed, I have not been in doubt
from the first.

"You will remember that the fatal wound was visible on both the woman's
temples. The bullet passed entirely through her head.

"But where was the bullet? That was the question which I asked myself at
once.

"I could not find it in room B, where the body lay. Then I tried room A,
with no better success.

"At this point Chick took up the hunt, and carried it to the end. The
bullet was in neither room. It was just between them.

"You remember that there was a door which I found fastened upon both
sides.

"Chick opened that door, and in its framework, the wood