They filed out after him, and I heard them go singing up the street. Then I sank back into my chair and thought again of Godfrey's theory; it seemed to fit the case precisely, point by point--even--and I started at the thought--to Miss Holladay's reticence as to her whereabouts the afternoon before. The whole mystery lay plain before me. In some way, she had discovered the existence of her half-sister, had secured her address; she had gone to visit her and had found her away from home--it was probable, even, that the half-sister had written her, asking her to come--though, in that case, why had she not remained at home to receive her? At any rate, Miss Holladay had awaited her return, had noticed her agitation; had, perhaps, even seen certain marks of blood upon her. The news of her father's death had pointed all too clearly to what that agitation and those blood-spots meant. She had remained silent that she might not besmirch her father's name, and also, perhaps, that she might protect the other woman. I felt that I held in my hand the key to the whole problem. Point by point--but what a snarl it was! That there would be a vigorous search for the other woman I could not doubt, but she had a long start and should easily escape. Yet, perhaps, she had not started--she must have remained in town, else how could that note have been sent to us? She had remained, then--but why? That she should feel any affection for Frances Holladay seemed absurd, and yet, how else explain the note? I felt that I was getting tangled up in the snarl again--there seemed no limit to its intricacies; so, in very despair, I put the matter from me as completely as I could and went to bed. * * * * * The morning's _Record_ attested the truth of Rankin's prophecy. I had grown famous in a night: for Godfrey had, in a measure, made me responsible for his theory, describing me with a wealth of adjectives which I blush to remember, and which I have, even yet, not quite forgiven him. I smiled as I read the first lines: A _Record_ representative had the pleasure, yesterday evening, of dining with Mr. Warwick Lester, the brilliant young attorney who achieved such a remarkable victory before Coroner Goldberg yesterday afternoon, in the hearing of the Holladay case, and, of course, took occasion to discuss with him the latest developments of this extraordinary crime. Mr. Lester agreed with the _Record_ in a theory which is the only one that fits the facts of the case, and completely and satisfactorily explains all its ramifications. The theory was then developed at great length and the article concluded with the statement that the _Record_ was assisting the police in a strenuous endeavor to find the guilty woman. Now that the police knew in which quarter to spread their net, I had little doubt that she would soon be found, since she had tempted providence by remaining in town.