Page:Chipperfield--Unseen Hands.djvu/302

290 the two without taking him around by the hall. But what is going to happen in Rannie's room, Sergeant?"

"I have an experiment I want to make; that is all." Odell turned away. "At three o'clock, then, Doctor. I shall depend on you."

It lacked five minutes of the hour when Doctor Adams tapped with an eagerly trembling hand on the hunchback's door and the detective's voice promptly bade him enter. He obeyed to find Richard Lorne already ensconced upon the couch. Gene and Rannie in chairs on either side, and two strange men standing near the foot of the bed conversing in lowered tones with Odell.

Lorne's fat face was tense with excitement, and Gene's was white as chalk; but Rannie sat back with his old mocking smile, and only the vise-like grip of his thin, sallow fingers upon the arms of his chair betrayed the least sign of emotion.

The physician noted their expressions almost mechanically, and then his gaze wandered to the two strangers. Dimly he seemed to remember seeing them hanging about on the sidewalk in front of the house for the past few days—

Odell's voice broke in upon his thoughts. "Your patient is awake, Doctor? You have not left her alone, I trust?"

"No. Miss Meade is with her, as you—"

"Then that is all right," Odell interrupted him in obvious haste. "There is something which I wish to tell you all, but we must wait for a little. I am expecting—"

A discreet knock upon the door interrupted him in turn, and he opened it to find Peters on the threshold.

"Mr. Titheredge, sir."

"Please say that I will be down at once." Odell waited