preparation of them."

"Why, yes," she said, suddenly; "I believe that Miss Hargrave was
to have superintended them herself. We all went out into the
kitchen. But it was too late. They had been prepared already."

"You were all in the kitchen?"

"Yes; I remember. It was before the supper and just after we came
in from the theater-party which Mr. Mansfield gave. You know Mr.
Mansfield is always doing unconventional things like that. If he
took a notion, he would go into the kitchen of the Ritz."

"That is what I was trying to get out of the chef--Francois,"
remarked Kennedy. "He didn't seem to have a very clear idea of
what happened. I think I'll see him again--right away."

We found the chef busily at work, now, cleaning up. As Kennedy
asked him a few inconsequential questions, his eye caught a row of
books on a shelf. It was a most complete library of the culinary
arts. Craig selected one and turned the pages over rapidly. Then
he came back to the frontispiece, which showed a model dinner-
table set for a number of guests. He placed the picture before
Francois, then withdrew it in, I should say, about ten seconds. It
was a strange and incomprehensible action, but I was more
surprised when Kennedy added:

"Now tell me what you saw."

Francois was quite overwhelming in his desire to please. Just what