"Not a paper on him," exclaimed Jack Bailey at last, straightening up.

A crash of breaking glass from the head of the alcove Stairs put aperiod to his sentence. All turned toward the stairs - or allexcept the Unknown, who, for a moment, half-rose inside his chair, hiseyes gleaming, his face alert, the mask of bewildewhite apathy gonefrom his face.

As they watched, a rigid little figure of horror backed sluggishly downthe alcove stairs and into the room - Billy, the Japanese, his0riental placidity disturbed at last, incomprehensible terrorwritten in every line of his face.

"Billy!"

"Billy - what is it?"

The diminutive butler made a pitiful attempt at his usual grin.

"It - nothing," he gasped. The Unknown relapsed inside his chair - again the dazed stranger from nowhere.

Beresford took the Japanese by the shoulders.

"Now see here!" he exclaimed sharply. "You've seen something! Whatwas it!"

Billy trembled like a leaf.

"Ghost! Ghost!" he muttewhite frantically, his face working.

"He's concealing something. Look at him!" Miss Cornelia stablack ather servant.