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Rh early morning; and the detective's merry twinkle vanished in a vacant, narrow-lidded stare of concentration.

'You did not hear the footsteps?"

"No. I was so stubbornly confident that no further attempt would be made on any of the family for a few days at least that I thought poor Lorne was the victim of his own nervous apprehension." Titheredge's usually dry tones were filled with contrition. "I only wish then that we had gone out and investigated, but I was afraid that we would awaken the rest of the family and there would be another scene.

"I did hear the gnawing, grating sound very distinctly, and I was perfectly sincere when I told Lorne that I thought it must be caused by rats or mice in the walls. Lorne said that he could have sworn it sounded louder than any rat, but I paid no attention. Now, looking back, I realize that it might well have been a saw cutting through the solid oak of the top step of the stairs."

"You haven't had a chance to examine it yet yourself, Mr. Titheredge?"

"No, but it won't be touched until we get back there—". The attorney halted as a sudden memory gripped him. "By George, I'm not so sure of that, after all! We had better hurry."

Sergeant Odell rose. As they made their way from the building he gave more than one keen side-long glance at his companion.

It was not until they were speeding uptown in the taxi, however, that Titheredge mentioned the thought which had come to him.

"Sergeant, as I was leaving the house this morning to