ickly
after them in ominous pursuit; and it wasn't necessary to question
Katherine. She stood in the corridor, her lips parted, her face white
and shocked.

"What was it?" she said. "That nearly silent grief?"

She put her hands to her ears, lowering them helplessly after a moment.

"Where did you think it came from?" Graham asked.

"From a long ways off," she answered. "Then I--I thought it must be in
the room with you, and I wondered if you saw--"

Graham shook his head.

"We saw nothing. It was probably Ella or Jane. They've been badly
frightened. Perhaps a nightmare, or they've heard us moving around the
front part of the house. I am going to see."

Katherine and Bobby followed him downstairs. Doctor Groom and Paredes
stood in front of the fireplace, questioningly looking upward. Paredes
didn't speak at first, but Doctor Groom burst out in his grumbling,
bass voice:

"What's been going on up there?"

"Did you hear just now a queer crying?" Graham asked.

"No."

"You, Paredes?"

"I've heard nothing," Paredes answered, "except Doctor Groom's
disquieting theories. It's an uncanny hour for such talk. What kind of a
cry--may I ask?"

"Like a woman moaning," Bobby said, "and, Doctor, Howells has changed his
position."

"What are you talking about?" the doctor cried.

"He has turned on his side as Mr. Blackburn did," Graham told him.

Paredes glanced at Bobby.

"And how was this new mystery discovered?"

Bobby caught the implication. Then the Panamanian clung to his slyly
expressed doubt of Katherine which might, after all, have had its impulse
in an instinct of self-preservation. Bobby knew that Graham and Katherine
would guard the fashion in which the startling discovery had been made.
Before he could speak for himself, indeed, Graham was answering Paredes:

"This crying seemed after a time to come from the room. We entered."

"But Miss Katherine called you up," Paredes said. "I supposed she had
heard again movements in the room."

Bobby managed a smile.

"You see, Carlos, nothing is consistent in this case."

Paredes bowed gravely.

"It is very curious a woman should cry about the house."

"The servants may make it seem natural enough," Graham said. "Will you
come, Bobby?"

As they crossed the dining room they heard a stirring in the kitchen.
Graham threw open the door. Jenkins stood at the foot of the servants'
stairs. The old butler had lighted a candle and placed it on the mantel.