ou make sure of your first facts. I daresay Waters's story will tally
with yours."

Blackburn nodded. Graham cleared his throat.

"Now perhaps we may ask that very important question. The day Mr.
Blackburn called at your office in Smithtown he told Howells he was
afraid of being murdered. According to Howells, he said: 'My heart's all
right. It won't stop yet awhile unless it's made to. So if I'm found cold
some fine morning you can be sure I was put out of the way.'"

"I know," Robinson said.

"And that night," Graham continued, "when he went to the old room, he was
terrified of something which he wouldn't define for Miss Perrine."

"He warned me not to mention he'd gone there," Katherine put in. "He told
me he was afraid--afraid to sleep in his own room any longer."

Robinson turned.

"What about that, Mr. Blackburn?"

For a moment Bobby's curiosity overcame the confusion aroused by his
grandfather's apparently occult return. All along they had craved the
knowledge he was about to give them, the statement on which Bobby's life
had seemed to depend. Blackburn, however, was unwilling. The question
seemed to have returned to him something of his normal manner.

"No use," he mumbled, "going into that."

"A good deal of use," Robinson insisted.

Blackburn shifted his feet. He gazed at his pipe doubtfully.

"I don't see why. That didn't come, and seems it wasn't what I ought to
have been afraid of after all. All along I ought to have been afraid only
of the Cedars and the old room. I've been accused of being unjust. I
don't want to do an injustice now."

"Please answer," Robinson said impatiently.

"You must answer," Graham urged.

"I don't see that it makes the slightest difference," Paredes drawled.
"What has it got to do with the case as it stands to-night?"

Robinson snapped at him.

"You keep out of it. Don't forget there's a lot you haven't
answered yet."

Silas Blackburn looked straight at Bobby. Slowly he raised his hand,
pointing an accusing finger at his grandson.

"If you want to know, I was afraid of that young rascal."

Katherine started impulsively forward in an effort to stop him. Blackburn
waved her away.

"You trying to scare me, Katy?" he asked suspiciously.

"Evidently," Robinson commented to Graham, "Howells wasn't as dull as we
thought him. Go on, Mr. Blackburn. Why were you afraid of your grandson?"

"Maybe he can tell you better than I can," the old man answered. "Don't
se