sudden fear clutching at her heart, Tuppence ran to the bed. The
hand she lifted was cold as ice.... Mrs. Vandemeyer would never
speak now....

Her cry brought the others. A very few minutes sufficed. Mrs.
Vandemeyer was dead--must have been dead some hours. She had
evidently died in her sleep.

"If that isn't the cruellest luck," cried Julius in despair.

The lawyer was calmer, but there was a curious gleam in his eyes.

"If it is luck," he replied.

"You don't think--but, say, that's plumb impossible--no one could
have got in."

"No," admitted the lawyer. "I don't see how they could. And
yet--she is on the point of betraying Mr. Brown, and--she dies.
Is it only chance?"

"But how----"

"Yes, HOW! That is what we must find out." He stood there
silently, gently stroking his chin. "We must find out," he said
quietly, and Tuppence felt that if she was Mr. Brown she would
not like the tone of those simple words.

Julius's glance went to the window.