to the broad doorway and motioned for Loris and Nichols to take
their former positions. He waited until they were seated with their
faces in the shadow cast by the overhead silken hangings. He spoke
then, and to the point.

"This case," he said, thrusting his hands in his coat pockets and
striding back and forth. "This case is clearing clue by clue. The
trouble-man, whom some one let into the house this afternoon, is the
missing link in the chain of circumstance and applied deduction. Who
let him in?"

"I did!"

Drew stopped in his stride. "You, Nichols?" he questioned sharply. "Why
did you let him in?"

"Because I asked Harry to," defended Loris with heat. "I heard the bell
ring. I sent the maid downstairs. She came back and told me that a man
from the telephone company was waiting to look over the connections.
She said that he said that there was trouble with the wires."

"I don't believe it!" exclaimed Drew; "that is," he added hastily, "I
don't believe there was anything the matter at all. In the light of
what Delaney has told me, that fellow came here last night, when some
one else named Frosby or Frisby was sent. Now why would he want to take
another's place? For one reason only--the same reason that he came here
this afternoon. This reason concerns your future health and security.
We had one death in this house which followed his first visit. We don't
want anything to happen after his second visit."

"You are right, Mr. Drew," said Nichols. "I was careless. I went down
stairs and talked with the fellow. It was just a few minutes after I
arrived from downtown. He seemed so plausible that I asked the Central
Office Detective at the door, who gave the permission. It was all my
fault, I guess."

"Where did this fellow go? What did he do in the house?"

"He went into the library and tested the phone there. The connection
seemed to be all right. Then he went down stairs and tested the
butler's 'phone. The butler had been taken as a material witness by
Fosdick. I followed the man. He didn't do anything but test and then
talk with Franklin Official--I think it was."

"Are you sure he talked over the phone? It's ridiculously easy for a
person to hold down the hook and make believe they are talking to most
anybody."

"I don't know about that, Mr. Drew," said the captain, turning toward
Loris. "Did he talk to anybody when he used this 'phone, Miss
Stockbridge?"

"I believe so, Harry. I really thought he did."