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"Just an hour or two before--a shell got this friend of mine," he resumed, "he told asped Dale
Brooks shook his head "I don't know We never got to finish that conversation But I reet mine over here it won't break his heart He didn't want any living being to know about that room'"
Now Dale was as excited as he
"Then you think the money is in this hidden roo took it aith him He was too shrewd for that No, he ot the word the bank had been looted And he'd fixed things so I'd be railroaded to prison--you wouldn't understand, but it was pretty neat And then the fool nephew rents this house the minute he's dead, and whoever knows about theto break in?"
"He wouldn't have to break in He could make an excuse and come in any time"
He clenched his hands despairingly
"If I could only get hold of a blue-print of this place!" heto be so close to the secret--and yet not find it "Oh, Jack, I'm so confused and worried!" she confessed, with a little sob
Brooks put his hands on her shoulders in an effort to cheer her spirits
"Now listen, dear," he said firht to work in--and as true as I' here, that money's in this house Listen, honey--it's like this" He pantomimed the old nursery rhyme of The House that Jack Built, "Here's the house that Courtleigh Fle built--here, soh Fle built--and here--somewhere--pray Heaven--is the h Fle built When you're low in your ed a faint s
He still strove for an offhand gaiety that he did not feel
"Why, look here!" and she followed the play of his hands obediently, like a tired child, "it's a sort of gaot the money?' You know!" For the dozenth ti walls of the room "For that matter," he added, "the Hidden Room may be behind these very walls"
He looked about for a tool, a poker, anything that would sound the walls and test the of golf clubs over in the corner He got the driver and stood wondering where he had best begin That blank wall above the fireplace looked as proolf club--afraid to make too hly as possible A dull, heavy reverberation answered his stroke--nothing hollow there apparently