Kitty regarded him gravely. "Not great friends; we sometimes have spats," she admitted. A mischievous smile brought out her pretty dimples. "Our last dispute was on the subject of deportment and dress. I do not see how Nina stands his Puritanical ideas." "Doesn't he approve of gay colors?" "Gay colors!" Kitty laughed outright. "I should say not. Why, he nearly had a fit whenever I appeared in my red coat." "He is a man of queer ideas," Rodgers commented dryly. "The red coat was most becoming to you. By the way, I haven't seen you wear it lately." "I am having the coat dyed--" Seeing his surprised expression, she added, "Not because Ben disliked the color, but it was too faded." "Did _you_ take the coat to be dyed?" asked Rodgers, and she wondered at the persistency of his gaze. "No. I gave it to Aunt Susan one day last week." Kitty sat bolt upright. "Dear me, I wonder at which cleaning establishment she left the coat." "You have no idea where it is?" "Not the faintest idea in this world; Aunt Susan never dealt long at any one shop." Kitty shook her head. "The events of the past few days put the coat entirely out of my mind." "Then your aunt was the last person to have your coat--?" "She was certainly the last person in this household to handle it," she answered. "You speak as if the coat was of some consequence--" with a quick surprised glance at him. Rogers paused as Oscar's warning recurred to him "She mustn't know nawthin'." Whatever the old negro's reasons might be for asking him not to discuss the red coat with Kitty--whether important or unimportant--he would keep faith with the old negro and not tell her of the incidents of the morning. "I always liked the coat," he declared. "Suppose you don't get it back--?" "Oh, the cleaners, whoever they are, will probably send it back when it is dyed so as to get paid," she answered carelessly. "It is a small loss anyway for the coat was about worn out." She sighed involuntarily and Rodgers looked at her intently. "Isn't this house getting on your nerves?" he asked, observing the deep shadows under her eyes which told their story of wakeful nights and frayed nerves. "Not so much the house as the mystery," she admitted, with a slight shiver. "Have you discovered any clues?" Rodgers touched a small "I.O.U." paper safely tucked inside his vest pocket. "Nothing of any consequence," he confessed. "I tried to see Inspector Mitchell this afternoon, but he never returned to Headquarters." "He was here." Kitty paused and considered her companion. The mention of Inspector Mitchell brought back his questions about the Holt will contest. "By the way, the inspector asked if you had ever told me about the law suit over Colonel Holt's will." Rodgers laid down his cigarette case unopened. "The Holt will case," he exclaimed. "Of what possible interest could that be to you?"