"Then he couldn't see the doors of both rooms----" began Braye, but Professor Hardwick interrupted: "Nonsense, man, both doors were open, if any move had been made, Thorpe must have heard it." "Both doors open," said Braye, "Norma, you said they were closed when you came down to breakfast." "I asked Thorpe about that," said Tracy. "He told me that at daybreak, or soon after, he closed the doors, without looking in the rooms. He was scared, I think, though he won't admit that. He says, he thought the ladies would be coming down and the doors better be closed." "That's all right, but it's strange that he didn't glance into the rooms." "I don't think so," said Landon. "Thorpe was in charge, but he had no reason to think there had been any disturbance, and he is pretty well scared up over the whole matter. And I don't wonder." "Nor I," said Braye. "It's all inexplicable. What's Crawford going to do next?" "I'm not sure," said Tracy, "but I think he'll hold an inquest. Of course, _he_ thinks it's a case of murder----" "How absurd!" cried Eve. "What more does the man want in confirmation of the supernatural? First, those two deaths, impossible of human achievement, and now, the taking away of poor little Vernie, in circumstances that deny any mortal hand in the matter!" "If that's true, Eve," Braye spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, "it will do no harm to let the coroner proceed along his own lines. He can't convict a murderer if there isn't one,--and if there is one, we all want him convicted, don't we?" "Of course," said Landon, "but suppose they pitch on an innocent man?" "It's _all_ supposition," declared Braye. "I never heard of such a moil! I can't see how it _can_ be murder, or body-snatching, yet I can't stand for ghost-work, either. Say it's murder,--where's a motive, for anybody?" "I think you ought to know, Rudolph," Eve said, slowly, "that that Crawford person asked who would inherit Mr. Bruce's money, and----" "And we owned up that you were the next of kin, old chap," put in Landon, smiling grimly. "Any remarks?" "Don't be flippant, Wynne," said Braye, seriously, "of course, I've thought of that. I can't very well be charged with the murder, as I wasn't here at the time, but I do feel deeply embarrassed at the thought that I am, without a doubt, the next heir. That can, I suppose, draw suspicion on me, as I may be said to have motive. But I am not afraid of that, for there's no possible way I could have turned the trick. But, if it _was_ murder, if there's the slightest indication of foul play, I'm ready to devote all of Uncle Gifford's money, if need be, in bringing the criminal to justice." "Of course, there's no sense in tacking the crime on you, Braye," and Landon sighed. "If it was a crime, and if anybody here committed it, they'll more likely suspect me, for I'm the next heir after you, and if I could despatch two intervening heirs, I could also bump you off, I suppose."