"The prisoner, of course. I suppose we might call her that?"

"Taking her tea seems a kind of anticlimax to last night," said
Julius thoughtfully.

"Yes, it does," admitted Tuppence. "But, anyway, here goes.
Perhaps you'd both come, too, in case she springs on me, or
anything. You see, we don't know what mood she'll wake up in."

Sir James and Julius accompanied her to the door.

"Where's the key? Oh, of course, I've got it myself."

She put it in the lock, and turned it, then paused.

"Supposing, after all, she's escaped?" she murmured in a whisper.

"Plumb impossible," replied Julius reassuringly.

But Sir James said nothing.

Tuppence drew a long breath and entered. She heaved a sigh of
relief as she saw that Mrs. Vandemeyer was lying on the bed.

"Good morning," she remarked cheerfully. "I've brought you some
tea."

Mrs. Vandemeyer did not reply. Tuppence put down the cup on the
table by the bed and went across to draw up the blinds. When she
turned, Mrs. Vandemeyer still lay without a movement. With a