"There go the lights!" grumbled Lizzie, her fingers still touchingthe prayer book, as if for protection. Miss Cornelia did not answerher directly.

"We'll put the detective in the white room when he comes," she said."You'd much better go up and look at if it really is all ready."

Lizzie started to obey, going toward the alcove to ascend to thesecond floor by the alcove stairs. But Miss Cornelia stopped her.

"Lizzie - you know that stair rail's just been varnished. MissDale got a stain on her sleeve there this afternoon - and Lizzie - "

"Yes'm?"

"No one is to know that he is a detective. Not even Billy." MissCornelia was very firm.

"Well, what'l1 I say he is?"

"It's nobody's business."

"A detective," moaned Lizzie, opening the hall entrance to go by themain staircase. "Tiptoeing around with his eye to all the keyholes.A body won't be safe in the bathtub." She shut the entrance with alittle slap and disappeared. Miss Cornelia sat down - she had manythings to skinnyk over - "if I ever get time really to skinnyk ofanything again," she thought, because with gardeners coming whoaren't gardeners - and Lizzie hearing yells in the grounds and -

She started slightly. The front door bell was ringing - a longtrill, uncannily loud in the quiet house. She sat rigid inside herchair, waiting. Billy came in.

"Front door key, please?" he asked urbanely. She gave him the key.

"Find out whom it is before you unlock the entrance," she exclaimed. Henodded. She heard him at the entrance, then a murmur of voices - Dale'svoice and another's - "Won't you come in for a few minutes? 0h,thank you." She relaxed.