tation,
Bobby guessed. Katherine sat on the arm of a chair, thrusting one foot
toward the fresh blaze.

"It will snow," she said. "It is very early for that."

No one answered. The strain tightened. The flames leapt, throwing
evanescent pulsations of brilliancy about the dusky hall. They welcomed
Jenkins's announcement that luncheon was ready, but they scarcely
disturbed the hurriedly prepared dishes, and afterward they gathered
again in the hall, silent and depressed, appalled by the long, dreary
afternoon, which, however, possessed the single virtue of dividing them
from another night.

For long periods the district attorney and the detective were closeted in
the library. Now and then they passed upstairs, and they could be heard
moving about, but no one, save Graham, seemed to care. Already the
officers had had every opportunity to search the house. The old room no
longer held an inhabitant to set its fatal machinery in motion. Yet Bobby
realized in a dull way that at any moment the two men might come down to
him, saying:

"We have found something. You are guilty."

The heavy atmosphere of the house crushed such forecasts, made them seem
a little trivial. Bobby fancied it gathering density to cradle new
mysteries. The long minutes loitered. Doctor Groom made a movement to go.

"Why should I stay?" he grumbled. "What is there to keep me?"

Yet he sat back in his chair again and appeared to have forgotten his
intention.

Graham wandered off. Bobby thought he had joined Rawlins and Robinson in
the library.

The only daylight entered the hall through narrow slits of windows on
either side of the front door. Bobby, watching these, was, even with the
problems night brought to him now, glad when they grew paler.

Paredes, who had been smoking cigarette after cigarette, arose and
brought his card table. Drawing it close to him, he arranged the cards in
neat piles. The uncertain firelight made it barely possible to identify
their numbers. Doctor Groom gestured his disgust. Katherine stooped
forward, placing her hands on the table.

"Is it kind," she asked, "so soon after he has left his house?"

Paredes started.

"Wait!" he said softly.

Puzzled, she glanced at him.

"Stay just as you are," he directed. "There has been so much death in
this house--who knows?"

Languidly he placed his fingers on the edge of the table opposite hers.

"What are you doing?" Dr. Groom asked hoarsely.

"Wait!" Paredes said a