Page:The achievements of Luther Trant - Balmer and MacHarg - 1910.djvu/242

214 look of the rooms and the direction of the sunlight should be the same as at three o'clock last Wednesday afternoon. Dr. Pierce, will you bring your ward to me in the study?"

He turned to his client with quiet confidence as though all were settled. "Inspector Walker and Penol will remain here—the Inspector already knows what I require of him. I noticed a clock Saturday over the desk in the study and heard it strike the hour; you have no objection to my turning it back ten or fifteen minutes, Pierce? And before you go, let me have the chalchihuitl stone!"

For a moment Pierce, with his hands still pressed against his temples, stood looking at Trant in perplexity and doubt; then, with sudden resolution, he handed him the chalchihuitl stone and went to get his ward. A few minutes later he led her into the study where the psychologist was awaiting them alone. Pierce's first glance was at the clock, which he saw had been turned back by Trant to mark five minutes to three.

"Good afternoon, Miss Pierce," Trant set a chair for her, with its back to the clock, as she acknowledged his salutation; then continued, conversationally: "You spoke the other day of the morning sunlight in these rooms, but I have been thinking that the afternoon sunlight, as it gets near three o'clock, is even more beautiful. One can hardly imagine anything occurring here which would be distasteful or unpleasant, or shocking—"

The girl's eyes filled with a vague uneasiness, and turned toward Pierce, who, not knowing what to