and shining on the rope that was tied to the banister. The end of the
rope was covered with stains, brown, with a glint of red in them.

I got up shivering. "You can get the meat at the butcher's, Terry," I
said, "and come back for me in a half-hour." Then I turned and went
up-stairs, weak in the knees, to put on my hat and coat. I had made up
my mind that there had been murder done.




CHAPTER III

I looked at my clock as I went down-stairs. It was just twelve-thirty.
I thought of telephoning for Mr. Reynolds to meet me, but it was his
lunch hour, and besides I was afraid to telephone from the house while
Mr. Ladley was in it.

Peter had been whining again. When I came down the stairs he had
stopped whimpering and was wagging his tail. A strange boat had put
into the hallway and was coming back.

"Now, old boy!" somebody was saying from the boat. "Steady, old chap!
I've got something for you."

A little man, elderly and alert, was standing up in the boat, poling
it along with an oar. Peter gave vent to joyful yelps. The elderly
gentleman brought his boat to a stop at the foot of the stairs, and
reaching down into a tub at his feet, held up a large piece of raw
liver. Peter almost went crazy, and I remembered suddenly that I had