and derision, of shocking his mother, perhaps
fatally, or at least into a nervous prostration, he was unable to shape
a course.

Could he tell Carly first? He glanced at a telephone book at his elbow.

No, that would never do. To hear his voice on the telephone would throw
her into a convulsion. He didn't believe she stood for that spirit
foolishness, but if, by any chance, she had been won over, his voice
would surely give her some sort of a shock.

The boys, then. Yes, that was the only thing. He must see them, but he
must telephone first and learn their whereabouts.

He could, he concluded, call in a disguised voice, and get a line on
things anyhow.

So, still in a haze of doubt and uncertainty, he looked up the number
and called Shelby.

As he rather expected, Shelby was not at his home, but the person who
answered could give no directions save to say that Mr. Shelby would
probably be home by six o'clock, and would he leave a message?

"No," returned Peter shortly, and hung up.

Getting next the number of the Leonardo Studios, he asked for Gilbert
Blair.

"W-what--who?" came a stammering response.

"Mr. Blair--Mr. Gilbert Blair," repeated Peter.

"Why--why, he's dead--Mr. Blair's dead."

"No! When did he die?"

"Coupla months ago. Murdered."

"What!"

"Yep, murdered."

Peter hung up the receiver from sheer inability to do anything else.

Of course it couldn't be true. Blair couldn't have been murdered, and he
must have misunderstood that last word. But his arm seemed paralyzed
when he tried again to take hold of the telephone.

He sank back in his chair and tried to think.

His subconscious mind told him that he had not misunderstood--that
Gilbert was murdered. He knew he had heard the word correctly, and
people do not make such statements unless they are true.

His thoughts gradually untangled themselves and he began to grapple with
the most important problems.

It was clear that he must learn what had happened in his absence. He
wanted to get hold of Shelby and ask about Blair. He wanted to go right
over to Blair's place--but if--if _it_ had occurred two months ago there
was small use going there now.

Also, he must preserve his incognito for the present, at least. His
return would be blazoned in the papers as soon as it was known, and the
effect on his father's reputation would be most disastrous.

He must learn more facts--the facts he had already discovered were so
amazing, what