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 down," said McGraw. "She has acknowledged that she was up in Middlebury's office this evening."

Astro turned swiftly to the elevator boy. "What did you say you hadn't taken her up for?" he demanded.

"Oh, God! I knew she was up there; but I didn't take her up; she walked up-stairs. I hoped she'd get away and nobody'd know. I thought she'd gone already."

"And you wanted to shield her? Why?"

Dennis hung his head. Then he muttered shamefully, "Because I'm in love with her, sir, that's why! And I didn't want her to get into trouble. She didn't do it, sir. I'll swear she didn't shoot him!" He looked down at the body in horror, then turned his eyes away and began to sob hysterically.

"Well, then, Miss Wilson, what have you to say for yourself?"

She had taken one look at the corpse also, and had turned away, her tears breaking forth afresh. Between her gasps she told her story:

"Mr. Middlebury was too attentive to me, I thought, and then yesterday he kissed me. He said he wanted to marry me; but I didn't believe it. So I told him I was going to leave. I did leave to-day, and never expected to come back here. Mr. Middlebury had paid me, and everything, only I found I had forgotten my house keys. So I had dinner down-town and then came back here, because I knew Mr. Middlebury would be working late alone in the office on a rush job he had. I didn't want Dennis to know I went up, because I had told him about Mr. Middlebury's kissing me; so I waited till he went up in the elevator, and