“That’s not so! I know. I came up here to the house with him. I was with him when he found his brother’s body——” “Oh, you were! Why didn’t you say so?” “You didn’t ask me. No, I don’t know anything more. I’ve nothing to tell that can throw any possible light, but I do know that Doctor Varian had no hand in it and knows no more about it than I do.” “Good land, I don’t mean that he killed his brother,—I know better than that. But he wasn’t frank about the relations between the girl and her father. Do you know that they were all right? Friendly, I mean?” “So far as I know, they were. But I never met them until today. I can only say that they acted like any normal, usual father and daughter.” “Oh, well, it doesn’t matter. It’ll all come out,—that sort of thing. Now to find the girl.” CHAPTER V The Yellow Pillow “What’s this pillow doing here?” the sheriff asked, as he picked up the yellow satin cushion. “This looks to me like a parlor ornament.” “I thought it was strange, too,” returned Landon. “But I can’t see any clue in it, can you?” “Anything unusual may prove a clue,” said Potter, sententiously. “You never saw this pillow before, Mr Landon.” “No; but I’m not familiar with the house at all. Maybe it’s a discarded one, handed down to the servants’ use.” “Doesn’t look so; it’s fresh and new, and very handsome.” “Lay it aside and come on,” growled Bill Dunn, who was alertly looking about the kitchen. “You can ask the family about that later. Let’s go down cellar.” To the cellar they went, Landon following. He had a notion that he might help the family’s interests by keeping at the heels of these detectives. But the most careful search revealed nothing of importance to their quest. Until Potter said, suddenly, “What’s this? A well?” “It sure is,” and Bill Dunn peered over an old well curb and looked down. “A well in a cellar! How queer!” exclaimed Landon. “I never heard of such a thing.” “Uncommon, but I’ve known of ’em,” said Bill “Looks promising, eh?” Potter considered. “It may mean something,” he said, thoughtfully. “We’ll have to sound it, somehow.” “Sound it, nothin’!” said the executive Bill; “I’ll go down.” “How?” Potter asked him. “There’s no bucket. It’s probably a dried up well.” “Prob’ly,” and Bill nodded. He already had one foot over the broken old well curb. “Wait, for heaven’s sake!” cried Landon. “Don’t jump down! You must have a light.” “Got one,” and Bill drew a small flashlight from his pocket. With the agility of a monkey he clambered down the side of the old well. The stones were large and not smoothly fitted, so that he had little trouble in gaining and keeping his foothold. The others watched him as he descended and at last reached the bottom. “Nothing at all,” he called up. “I’m coming back.”