"Yes, sir. Setting the table, and such. But now it's all ready, and I was waiting Miss Van Allen's word to serve it." "Where is Miss Van Allen?" I broke in. "I--I don't know, sir," Luigi hesitated, and Doctor Remson interrupted. "We mustn't ask these questions, Mr. Calhoun. We must call the police." "The police!" cried Mrs. Reeves, "oh no! no! don't do that." "It is my duty," said the doctor, firmly. "And no one must enter or leave this room until an officer arrives. You waiters, stay there in that pantry. Close those doors to the other room, Mr. Calhoun, please. Mrs. Reeves, I'm sorry, but I must ask you to stay here--" "I won't do it!" declared the lady. "You're not an officer of the law. I'll stay in the house, but not in this room." She stalked out into the hall, and Doctor Remson went at once to the telephone and called up headquarters. The guests in the living room, hearing this, flew into a panic. Of course, it was no longer possible, nor, as I could see, desirable to keep them in ignorance of what had happened. After calling the police, Doctor Remson returned to his post just inside the dining-room door. He answered questions patiently, at first, but after being nearly driven crazy by the frantic women, he said, sharply, "You may all do just as you like. I've no authority here, except that the ethics of my profession dictate. That does not extend to jurisdiction over the guests present. But I advise you as a matter of common decency to stay here until this affair is investigated." But they didn't. Many of them hastily gathered up their wraps and went out of the house as quickly as possible. Cassie Weldon came to me in her distress. "I must go, Mr. Calhoun," she said. "Don't you think I may? Why, it would interfere greatly with my work to have it known that I was mixed up in a--" "You're not mixed up in it, Miss Weldon." I began to speak a little sternly, but the look in her eyes aroused my sympathy. "Well, go on," I said, "I suppose you will testify if called on. Everybody knows where to find you." "Yes," she said, slowly, "but I hope I won't be called on. Why, it might spoil my whole career." She slipped out of the door, in the wake of some other departing guests. After all, I thought, it couldn't matter much. Few, if any, of them were implicated, and they could all be found at their homes. And yet, I had a vague idea that we ought all to stay. "I shall remain and face the music," I heard Mrs. Reeves saying. "Where _is_ Vicky? Do you suppose she knows about this? I'm going up in the music room to see if she's there. You know, with all the excitement down here, those upstairs may know nothing of it." "I shall remain, too" said Ariadne Gale. "Why should anyone kill Mr. Somers? Did the caterer's people do it? What an awful thing! Will it be in the papers?" "_Will_ it!" said Garrison, who was standing near. "Reporters may be here any minute. Must be here as soon as the police come. Where is Miss Van Allen?"