第19部分(第6/7 頁)

ly　raised。

〃She　is　in　a　fury；〃　he　murmured。　〃What　has　happened　now　to　upset　her？　But　she　shows　her　hand　too　plainly。　Does　she　really　believe　that　Mr　Kettering　killed　his　wife？　She　would　like　me　to　believe　it。　She　would　even　like　the　police　to　believe　it。〃

He　smiled　to　himself。　He　had　no　intention　whatsoever　of　going　to　the　police。　He　saw　various　other　possibilities；　to　judge　by　his　smile；　an　agreeable　vista　of　them。

Presently；　however；　his　brow　clouded。　According　to　Mirelle；　he　was　suspected　by　the　police。　That　might　be　true　or　it　might　not。

An　angry　woman　of　the　type　of　the　dancer　was　not　likely　to　bother　about　the　strict　veracity　of　her　statements。　On　the　other　hand；　she　might　easily　have　obtained　inside　information。

In　that　case　…　his　mouth　set　grimly　…　in　that　case　he　must　take　certain　precautions。

He　went　into　the　house　and　questioned　Hippolyte　closely　once　more　as　to　whether　any　strangers　had　been　to　the　house。　The　valet　was　positive　in　his　assurances　that　this　was　not　the　case。　The　te　went　up　to　his　bedroom　and　crossed　over　to　an　old　bureau　that　stood　against　the　wall。　He　let　down　the　lid　of　this；　and　his　delicate　fingers　sought　a　spring　at　the　back　of　one　of　the　pigeonholes。

A　secret　drawer　flew　out；　in　it　was　a　small　brown　paper　package。　The　te　took　this　out　and　weighed　it　in　his　hand　carefully　for　a　minute　or　two。　Raising　his　hand　to　his　head；　with　a　slight　grimace　he　pulled　out　a　single　hair。　This　he　placed　on　the　lip　of　the　drawer　and　shut　it　carefully。　Still　carrying　the　small　parcel　in　his　hand；　he　went　downstairs　and　out　of　the　house　to　the　garage；　where　stood　a　scarlet　two…seater　car。　Ten　minutes　later　he　had　taken　the　road　for　Monte　Carlo。

He　spent　a　few　hours　at　the　Casino；　then　sauntered　out　into