"I don't know," said Mrs. Reeves. "She wouldn't go to my home, I live 'way down in Washington Square." "Nor to mine," chirped Ariadne, "it's over on the west side." "I don't believe she left the house," declared the coroner. "Tell us again, Luigi," asked Lowney, "just where did the lady seem to go, when you saw her leave this room?" "I can't say, sir. I was looking through a small opening, as I pushed the door ajar, and I was so amazed at what I saw, that I was sort of paralyzed and didn't dare open the door further." "Go back to the pantry," commanded Fenn, "and look in, just as you did." The waiter retreated to the post he had held, and setting the door a few inches ajar, proved that he could see body by the sideboard, but could not command a view of the hall. "Now, I'll represent Miss Van Allen," and Lowney stood over the body of Somers. "Is this the place?" "A little farther to the right, sir," and Luigi's earnestness and good faith were unmistakable. "Yes, sir, just there." "Now, I walk out into the hall. Is this the way she went?" "Yes, sir, the same." Lowney went from the dining-room to the hall, and it was clear that his further progress could not be seen by the peeping waiter. "You see, Fenn," the detective went on, "from here, in the back of this long hall, Miss Van Allen could have left the house by two ways. She could have gone out at the front door, passing the parlor, or, she could have gone down these basement stairs, which are just under the stairs to the second story. Then she could have gone out by the front area door, which would give her access to the street. She could have caught up a cloak as she went." "Or," said Fenn, musingly, "she could have run upstairs. The staircase is so far back in the hall, that the guests in the parlor would not have seen her. This is a very deep house, you see." It was true. The stairs began so far back in the long hall, that Vicky could easily have slipped upstairs after leaving the dining-room, without being seen by any of us in the living-room, unless we were in its doorway, looking out. Was anybody? So many guests had left, that this point could not be revealed. "I didn't see her," declared Mrs. Reeves, "and I don't believe she was in the dining-room at all. I don't care what that waiter says!" "Oh, yes, Madame," reiterated Luigi. "It was Miss Van Allen. I know her well. Often she comes to Fraschini's, and always I take her orders. She came even this afternoon, to make sure the great cake--the Jack Horner, was all right. And she approved it, ah, she clapped her hands at sight of it. We all do our best for Miss Van Allen, she is a lovely lady." "Miss Van Allen is one of your regular customers?" "One of our best. Very often we serve her, and always she orders our finest wares." "You provide everything?" "Everything. Candles, flowers, decorations--all" "And she pays her bills?" "Most promptly." "By cheque?" "Yes, sir."