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Bailey meanwhile had crawled out on the roof and was carefully searching it But other things were happening also A disinterested observer could have seen very soon why the Bat had abandoned theas ato behind the archcri ladder had appeared at theand by its quivering showed that soh he caht into the roo over the sill It was the Doctor He gave a lohistle but there was no reply, save that, had he seen it, theout an inch or two Perhaps he was never so near death as at that moment but that instant of irresolution on his part saved hi into the rooe

Even then he was very close to destruction, for after a brief pause and a second rather puzzled survey of the room, he started toward the mantel itself Only the rattle of the doorknob stopped him, and a call from outside

"Dale!" called Bailey's voice from the corridor "Dale!"

"Dale! Dale! The door's locked!" cried Miss Cornelia

The Doctor hesitated The call caain "Dale! Dale!" and Bailey pounded on the door as if he meant to break it down

The Doctor made up his mind

"Wait a moment!" he called He stepped to the door and unlocked it Bailey hurled himself into the room, followed by Miss Cornelia with her candle Lizzie stood in the doorway, timidly, ready to leap for safety at a moment's notice

"Why did you lock that door?" said Bailey angrily, threatening the Doctor

"But I didn't," said the latter, truthfully enough Bailey lance about the roo, the incredible fact Dale was not there! She had disappeared!

"You--you," he staden? What have you done with her?"

The Doctor was equally baffled

"Done with her?" he said indignantly "I don't knohat you're talking about, I haven't seen her!"

"Then you didn't lock that door?" Bailey menaced him

The Doctor's denial was firh the hen I heard your voice at the door!"

Bailey's eyes leaped to the --yes--a ladder was there--the Doctorthe truth after all But if so, how and why had Dale disappeared?

The Doctor's admission of his manner of entrance did not make Lizzie any the happier