strength like an illness. It was not possible that Rose could have
done this in her right mind. But he had heard a doctor say once that
under stress of great emotion people sometimes went momentarily insane.
His friend had been greatly wrought up from anxiety, pain, fever, and
lack of sleep.

In replacing the telephone he had accidentally pushed aside a book.
Beneath it was a slip of paper on which had been penciled a note. He
read it, without any interest.


Mr. Hull he come see you. He sorry you not here. He say maybe perhaps
make honorable call some other time.

S. HORIKAWA


An electric bell buzzed through the apartment. The sound of it
startled Kirby as though it had been the warning of a rattlesnake close
to his head. Some one was at the outer door ringing for admission. It
would never do for him to be caught here.

He had been trained to swift thought reactions. Quickly but
noiselessly he stepped to the door and released the catch of the Yale
lock so that it would not open from the outside without a key. He
switched off the light and passed through the living-room into the
bedchamber. His whole desire now was to be gone from the building as
soon as possible. The bedroom also he darkened before he stepped to
the window and crept through it to the platform of the fire escape.