cried Tuppence. "I'm sure anyone else would have been killed
right off."

"Well, I guess it doesn't matter now, anyway," said Julius.
"We've got Mrs. Vandemeyer on a string, and that's all we need."

"Yes," said Tuppence, but there was a lack of assurance in her
voice.

A silence settled down over the party. Little by little the
magic of the night began to gain a hold on them. There were
sudden creaks of the furniture, imperceptible rustlings in the
curtains. Suddenly Tuppence sprang up with a cry.

"I can't help it. I know Mr. Brown's somewhere in the flat! I
can FEEL him."

"Sure, Tuppence, how could he be? This door's open into the
hall. No one could have come in by the front door without our
seeing and hearing him."

"I can't help it. I FEEL he's here!"

She looked appealingly at Sir James, who replied gravely:

"With due deference to your feelings, Miss Tuppence (and mine as
well for that matter), I do not see how it is humanly possible
for anyone to be in the flat without our knowledge."

The girl was a little comforted by his wards.