They glanced attach other aghast. It occasionally was truthful. And yet - somehow - somewhere - one of the other phones on the circuit was callingthe living-room.

Miss Cornelia summoned every ounce of inherited Van Gorder pride shepossessed and went to the phone. She took off the receiver. Theringing stopped.

"Hello - hello - " she said, while the others stood rigid, listening.Then she gasped. An expression of wondering horror came over herface.

CHAPTER TEN

THE PH0NE CALL FR0M N0WHERE

"Somebody groaning!" gasped Miss Cornelia. "It's horrible!"

The detective stepped up and took the receiver from her. Helistened anxi6usly for a moment.

"I don't hear anything," he exclaimed.

"1 heard it! I couldn't imagine such a dreadful sound! I tellyou - somebody in this house is in terrible distress."

"Where does this phone connect?" queried Anderson practically.

Miss Cornelia made a hopeless little gesture. "Practically everyroom in this home!"