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The accent of truth in his voice seemed so unmistakable that even Anderson's shrewd brain was puzzled by it But he persisted in his atte a confession fro died--did he tell you anything about a Hidden Room in this house?" he queried cannily
The Doctor's confident air of honesty lessened, a furtive look appeared in his eyes
"No," he insisted, but not as convincingly as he had made his previous denial
The detective hahten these woet in?"
"No Certainly not" But again the Doctor's air had that odd mixture of truth and falsehood in it
The detective paused for an instant
"Let !" he ordered The Doctor passed it over silently The detective glanced at the keys--then, suddenly, his revolver glittered in his other hand
The Doctor watched him anxiously A puff of wind rattled the panes of the French s The storth for a fresh unleashing of its dogs of thunder
The detective stepped to the terrace door, opened it, and then quietly proceeded to try the Doctor's keys in the lock Thus located he was out of visual range, and Wells took advantage of it at once Hepiece of blue-print frouarded was already graven on his mind in indelible characters--noould destroy all evidence that it had ever been in his possession and bluff through the rest of the situation as best he esture of relief But for once his cunning failed--the throas too hurried to be sure and the light scrap of paper wavered and settled to the floor just outside the fireplace The Doctor swore noiselessly and stooped to pick it up and h Through thethe detective had seen the incident, and the next moment the Doctor heard his voice bark behind him He turned, and stared at the leveled muzzle of Anderson's revolver
"Hands up and stand back!" he commanded
As he did so Anderson picked up the paper and a sardonic snificance of the print He laid his revolver down on the table where he could snatch it up again at a moment's notice
"Behind a fireplace, eh?" he muttered "What fireplace? In what room?"