batteries,--but Santoine had not moved a
hand to touch a button. He had disregarded the warning of the doctor
who had been summoned at once after the murder and had come to his room
again just before dawn to warn him that after his recklessness of the
night he must expect a reaction. He had given such injunctions in
regard to any new development that he was certain that, even if his
servants believed him asleep, they would report to him. But there had
been no report; and Santoine expected none immediately. He had not
lain awake awaiting anything; he felt that so much had happened, so
many facts were at his command, that somewhere among them must be the
key to what they meant.

The blind man knew that his daughter was concealing something from him.
He could not tell what the importance of the thing she was concealing
might be; but he knew his daughter was enough like himself for it to be
useless for him to try to force from her something she did not mean to
tell. The new intimacy of the relation between his daughter and Eaton
was perfectly plain to Santoine; but it did not cause him to try to
explain anything in Eaton's favor; nor did it prejudice him against
him. He had appeared to accept Avery's theory of what had happened in
the study because by doing so he concealed what was going on in his own
mind; he actually accepted it only to the point of agreeing that Eaton
must have met in the study those enemies--or some one representing the
enemies--who had attacked him with the motor-car and had before
attempted to attack him on the train.

Three men--at least three men--had fought in the study in Santoine's
presence. Eaton, it was certain, had been the only one from the house
present when the first shots were fired. Had Eaton been alone against
the other two? Had Eaton been with one of the other two against the
third? It appeared probable to Santoine that Eaton had been alone, or
had come alone, to the study and had met his enemies there. Had these
enemies surprised Eaton in the study or had he surprised them?
Santoine was inclined to believe that Eaton had surprised them. The
contents taken from the safe had certainly been carried away, and these
would have made rather a bulky bundle. Eaton could not have carried it
without Harriet knowing it. Santoine believed that, whatever knowledge
his daughter might be concealing from him, she would not have concealed
this. It was certain that some time had been nec