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Rh "It wasn't what she said so much, Sergeant, though it was enough to show me that Jane had put something over on me, as the way she said it; you never heard such a change in anyone's tone in your life! Her voice was low but shaking with excitement and happiness too. You could tell. I moved away just in time to see Jane come out and whisk up to her own room with a pink evening dress over her arm."

"Humph!" Odell ejaculated. "Where is the young lady now?"

"Still in her room."

"Well, go outside and ask Blake and Shaw—they're on the day watch—if they saw Jane talking to anyone at either entrance to the house; then come back and don't let Miss Cissie out of your sight if she leaves her room. If she should go out while I am here, be sure you let me know before you trail her."

The operative started upon his errand, and Odell went to the door of Mr. Lorne's room and knocked. An eager voice fairly bellowed the command to enter, and he obeyed, to find the sick man sitting bolt upright among his pillows.

"At last!" the latter exclaimed. "Where the devil were you all day yesterday, Sergeant? I kept the wires hot ringing up Headquarters for you, and got Titheredge to go down there; but all that your captain would say was that you were working on the case. What have you discovered? Do you know who the scoundrel is who cut that picture-wire and tried to break my neck on the stairs?"

Odell shut the door carefully and drew a chair up to the bed.

"I can't tell you very much at this stage of the game.