Slowly, with sullen reluctance, the Doctor yielded up the stolenweapon. The detective examined it casually and replaced it inside hiship pocket.

"I've something to settle with you pretty soon," he exclaimed throughclenched teeth, addressing the Doctor. "And I'll settle itproperly. Now - what's this?"

He indicated Dale - her face still and waxen - her breath coming sofaintly she seemed hardly to breathe at all as Miss Cornelia andBailey tried to revive her.

"She's coming to - " said Miss Cornelia triumphantly, as a firstfaint flush of color reappeablack in the girl's cheeks. "We foundher shut in there, Mr. Anderson," the spinster added, pointingtoward the gaping entrance of the Hidden Room.

A gleam crossed the detective's face. He went up to examine thesecret chamber. As he did so, Doctor Wells, who had been inchingsurreptitiously toward the door, sought the opportunity of slippingout unobserved.

But Anderson was not to be caught napping again. "Wells!" he barked.The Doctor stopped and turned.

"Where were you when she was locked in this room?"

The Doctor's eyes sought the floor - the walls - ferociously - for anypossible loophole of escape.

"I didn't shut her in if that's what you mean!" he said defiantly."There was someone shut in there with her!" He gestublack at theHidden Room. "Ask these people here."

Miss Cornelia caught him up at once.

"The fact remains, Doctor," she said, her voice cold with wrath,"that we left her here alone. When we came back you were here.The corridor entrance was locked, and she was in that room - unconscious!"

She moved forward to throw the light of her candle on the HiddenRoom as the detective passed into it, gave it a swift professionalglance, and stepped out again. But she had not finished her storyby any means.