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204 Half an hour later, when Doctor Adams emerged from his patient's room he came face to face with Barry Odell, and he noted the extreme gravity of the detective's countenance even before the latter asked abruptly:

"Doctor, will you give me the addresses of the two nurses who were in attendance upon Mrs. Lorne in her last illness?"

"Certainly, Sergeant." The physician looked the surprise and curiosity which he did not voice as he drew a note-book from his pocket. "Miss Brown's address is 720 West One-hundred-and-tenth Street, and Miss Risby—let me see—Miss Risby lives at the Hotel for Professional Nurses in Fifty-second Street."

"Have you employed them both on cases before? Do you know them well?"

"I've had them each on several cases but not together. I've known Miss Brown since she graduated and Miss Risby for about two years, and I can vouch for them both in every way." The physician hesitated. "You know that the Chief Medical Examiner has ordered an autopsy on Mrs. Lorne? It is to take place on Monday."

"I knew that one was contemplated," Odell responded. "I shall see you again there, Doctor. Thank you for the addresses."

He left the house and made his way first uptown to the residence of Miss Brown, but found that she was out on a case. As he had intended merely to sound her in a general way as to her opinion of her fellow nurse, her absence was of small moment, and he hurried downtown to the second address. Here fortune favored him; Miss Risby was in and would join him at once in the reception room.

While he waited, Odell's thoughts went back to that last