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58 is better, for he and Gene were the first to see him after Peters came rushing down. I—I only caught one glimpse before they took me away; and the girls weren't allowed to go in at all."

"How did it occur?" the detective asked patiently. "Please try to tell me all you know of it. Was your nephew in good health and spirits—aside from his natural grief for his mother, I mean?"

For the first time Miss Meade hesitated.

"Well, no," she admitted at length. "He adored my sister, of course; and he felt her death deeply. He had been in a nervous, excitable condition for months; and the shock of losing her increased his nervousness. He started violently at the sound of an unexpected voice or the abrupt closing of a door; and he had been losing weight rapidly. I—I think he had had some trouble over money matters with his stepfather, but Mr. Lorne must tell you about that; I really try to keep out of family affairs as much as possible.

"Last Wednesday—a week ago yesterday—he did not come down for breakfast, nor ring for any to be brought up to him. Cissie had hers in bed, I remember; and Randall—my youngest nephew, who is an invalid—was not well enough to come down; but Mr. Lorne, Nan, and myself were in the dining-room. I was pouring the coffee when Gene appeared; and his stepfather asked him if Julian were up. He said that he didn't think so, he had not heard him moving about. Mr. Lorne was annoyed, because Julian had an appointment to go downtown with him that morning, and finally he sent Peters up to call him."

Miss Meade paused; and Odell, who had watched her closely throughout her narration, marveled. Her thin