“Huh,” she said, “Julie Baxter, you’re too smart. You were more friendly with Sir Binney than any of us. He gave you twice the candy he did any one else, and I know you’ve been out to dinner with him!” “I have not!” declared Julie, but a flush on her cheeks and a quiver of her eyelids left room for doubt as to her truthfulness. “Also,” and Corson flung this at her, “also, on the paper was written ‘get B-a-’ and _also_, we’ve been told that the dying man tried to articulate a name beginning with J!” “Now, Miss Baxter, do you still deny all implication in the affair?” Gibbs leaned forward and stared into her eyes. “I do!” she cried, but her voice was hysterical and her manner agitated. Vainly she strove to keep her self-control, but, unable to do so and broke into a fit of uncontrollable weeping. “Oh, I say, Corson,” said tender-hearted Bates, “you oughtn’t to bully her! That’s nothing short of third degree!” “Well, I’ll put it through, if I can get the truth that way. Now, Miss Baxter, if you’ll tell us, in your own self-defense where you were that night, you may go. If not, I think we’ll have to ask you to go away with us to——” “Don’t take me away!” moaned Julie, “and don’t ask me about last night! I didn’t kill him—truly, I didn’t!” “But you know something about it,—you must be detained as a material witness——” “Wait till I talk to somebody—ask somebody’s advice——” “She means Bob Moore,” Daisy informed them; “they’re engaged, and Julie’ll say just what Bob tells her to.” “Oho! You’re engaged to Moore, eh?” and Gibbs gazed at her with fresh interest. And then, stepping from the door of the elevator, came Dorcas Everett, and Richard Bates lost all desire to hear further evidence from the questioned girls. With a brief but determined apology, he left the alcove, where they had been talking, and hurried to Dorcas’ side. “Have you heard?” he said, as he fell into step and walked with her toward the door. “Yes; I can’t talk here,—I can’t breathe! Can we go for a walk?” “Of course, why not?” “I thought you were busy with those—people.” “Perhaps they think so, too, but I don’t care! Come on; hasten your steps just a little and don’t look back.” Apparently carelessly, but really with a feeling of stealth, the pair made their way to the street, Bates feeling guiltily conscious of the detectives’ disapproval, and Dorcas afraid of her action being reported to her mother. “I’ve been waiting so to see you,” she exclaimed, as soon as they were at a safe distance from The Campanile. “Do tell me all about it! My mother has gone to call on your aunt,—and I thought I’d come down and see if I could run across you. Mother’ll be there some time, I’ve no doubt, and I took a chance.” “Bless you! But, tell me, how did your mother hear? What do you know? I mean, what’s the general report?”