Page:Arthur Stringer - The Door of Dread.djvu/278

 empty room down the hall, the room where you left your violets and gloves. That's what sent me in here, double-quick."

"But how'd yuh know I was here, in this room?"

"I found Strasser carrying a key with this room-number on its shank-plate. So I dove for this room to see what it meant."

"And what'd yuh do wit' his valise?"

"Why?" inquired the puzzled Wilsnach.

"What'd yuh do wit' his valise?" shrilly repeated the girl.

Wilsnach stood staring at her in perplexity.

"Why, I gave it to the officer to take down to the taxi."

"What taxi? What officer?"

Wilsnach could afford to be patient.

"The officer I brought along for the purpose of formally gathering in Strasser, of course. And the taxi, I might add, was to get him quickly down to Headquarters, without any fuss and feathers, before the arrest became known."

"Then Strasser's still in that closet?"

"By this time," exclaimed Wilsnach, "our officer has doubtless taken him down to the taxi, as I instructed him to do when I handed him the closet key."