A cool voice from the darkness above interrupted her flow of disjointed explanation. “Ask Miss Maughan to come up. I want to see her--alone.” Leslie went up the stairs, and as she reached the first turn, she saw that the drawing-room door was open. There was no light on the stairs, save for that which came from the open door. In one corner of the spacious landing she saw a small-wheeled table. She walked in, closing the door behind her. Lady Raytham was standing behind a little table near the fireplace. She wore a dark day dress without ornamentation, and Leslie’s quick woman’s eyes saw that she had changed her stockings; the very fine-textured, flesh-coloured hosiery she had seen on her earlier that evening had been replaced by a slightly darker pair. But only for a second did the details of the dress interest her. What a change had come to Jane Raytham’s face! She was made up, that was clear. The delicate flush of her cheeks was neither natural nor normal in her; she had helped her lips toward a verisimilitude to a healthy red. Her eyes, however, defied all artificial aid; they seemed to have sunk into her head; great dark circles, which even careful powdering could not disguise, surrounded them. “Have you brought me any news?” she drawled out. It was not like Lady Raytham to drawl. “I telephoned to you about an hour ago, but unfortunately I could not catch you. On the whole, I think I prefer that a woman officer should deal with this case.” “Has he stolen anything?” asked Leslie bluntly, and to her amazement Lady Raytham shook her head. “No, I’ve missed nothing; I shouldn’t imagine he would steal. He may have, of course, but I shall be able to tell you more about that to-morrow. He was grossly insulting and left me at a second’s notice.” “Have you been out?” “Yes, I went to a dinner with Princess Anita Bellini; we intended going on to the theatre, but I had a headache and decided to return.” “What time did you come back?” asked Leslie. Lady Raytham raised her eyes to the ceiling. “It may have been half-past nine--probably a little earlier,” she said. “We dined at a little restaurant which the princess knows----” “And then you came back and had another dinner!” said Leslie steadily. “The table is still on the landing--set for two, so far as I could see.” For a second the woman was staggered out of self-control. Her hand went up to her lips. “Oh, that?” she said awkwardly. “My friend Mrs. Gurden came later, and--and we gave her some supper.” Leslie shook her head. “I wish you would be frank with me, Lady Raytham,” she said. “The truth is, you didn’t go out to dinner at all, did you?” For a second the woman made no reply. “I don’t know what I did,” she said. Between despair and suppressed anger her voice was a wail. “He drove everything out of my mind. Oh, if I had known! If I had known!” She covered her eyes with her hands, and Leslie heard the sobs she could not stifle.