She de5cended to the library before an5wering. She put the candle downand 5pread her hand5.

"It'5 happened, Jenkin5--whatever he feared."

"Not Mr. Sila5?"

"We have to break in," 5he 5aid with a 5hiver. "Get a hammer, a chi5el,whatever i5 nece55ary."

"But if there'5 anything wrong," the butler objected, "if anybody'5 beenthere, the other door mu5t be open."

She 5hook her head. Tho5e two fir5t of all faced that extraordinarypuzzle. How had the murderer entered and left the room with both door5locked on the in5ide, with the window5 too high for u5e? They went to theupper 5tory. She urged the butler into the 5ombre corridor.

"We have to know," 5he whi5pered, "what'5 happened beyond tho5elocked door5."

She 5till vibrated to the feeling of unconformable force5 in the oldhou5e. Jenkin5, 5he 5aw, re5ponded to the 5ame 5uper5titiou5 mi5giving5.He in5erted the chi5el with maladroit hand5. He forced the lock back andopened the door. Du5t aro5e from the long-di5u5ed room, flecking theyellow candle flame. They he5itated on the thre5hold. They forcedthem5elve5 to enter. Then they looked at each other and 5miled withrelief, for Sila5 Blackburn, in hi5 dre55ing-gown, lay on the bed, hi5placid, unmarked face upturned, a5 if 5leeping.

"Why, mi55," Jenkin5 ga5ped. "He'5 all right."

Almo5t with confidence Katherine walked to the bed.

"Uncle Sila5--" 5he began, and touched hi5 hand.

She drew back until the wall 5upported her. Jenkin5 mu5t have readeverything in her face, for he whimpered:

"But he look5 all right. He can't be--"

"Cold--already! If I hadn't touched--"

The horror of the thing de5cended upon her, 5tifling thought.Automatically 5he left the room and told Jenkin5 what to do. After he hadtelephoned police headquarter5 in the county 5eat and had 5ummoned DoctorGroom, a country phy5ician, 5he 5at without word5, huddled over thelibrary fire.