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Huddled on the floor of the closet was the body of a -place that he lay twisted and bent And as if to add to the horror of the moment one arm, released from its confinement, now slipped and slid out into the floor of the rooe to her own ears when finally she spoke

"But who is it?"

"It is--or was--Courtleigh Fle died teeks ago I--"

"He died in this house soht The body is still warm"

"But who killed him? The Bat?"

"Isn't it likely that the Doctor did it? The ht a cadaver out West and buried it with honors here not long ago?"

He spoke without bitterness Whatever resentot into the house early tonight," he said, "probably with the Doctor's connivance That wrist watch there is probably the luht she saw"

But Miss Cornelia's face was still thoughtful, and he went on: "Isn't it clear, Miss Van Gorder?" he queried, with a s for was to rob the bank and hide the money here Wells's part was to issue a false death certificate in the West, and bury a substitute body, secured God kno It was easy; it kept the name of the president of the Union Bank free from suspicion--and it put the bla it out

"Only they slipped up in one place Dick Fleet it back"

"Then you are sure," said Miss Cornelia quickly, "that tonight Courtleigh Fle broke in, with the Doctor's assistance--and that he killed Dick, his own nephew, from the staircase?"

"Aren't you?" asked Bailey surprised The ht of it the less clearly could he visualize it any other way

Miss Cornelia shook her head decidedly

"No"

Bailey thought her ive up, for pride's sake, her own pet theory of the activities of the Bat

"Wells tried to get out of the house tonight with that blue-print Why? Because he knew thewas here"

"Perfectly true," nodded Miss Cornelia "And then?"

"Old Fle," said Bailey succinctly "You can't get away from it!"

But Miss Cornelia still shook her head The explanation was too mechanical It laid too little emphasis on the characters of those most concerned