his further progress could not be seen by the peeping waiter.

"You see, Fenn," the detective went on, "from here, in the back of
this long hall, Miss Van Allen could have left the house by two ways.
She could have gone out at the front door, passing the parlor, or, she
could have gone down these basement stairs, which are just under the
stairs to the second story. Then she could have gone out by the front
area door, which would give her access to the street. She could have
caught up a cloak as she went."

"Or," said Fenn, musingly, "she could have run upstairs. The staircase
is so far back in the hall, that the guests in the parlor would not
have seen her. This is a very deep house, you see."

It was true. The stairs began so far back in the long hall, that Vicky
could easily have slipped upstairs after leaving the dining-room,
without being seen by any of us in the living-room, unless we were in
its doorway, looking out. Was anybody? So many guests had left, that
this point could not be revealed.

"I didn't see her," declared Mrs. Reeves, "and I don't believe she was
in the dining-room at all. I don't care what that waiter says!"

"Oh, yes, Madame," reiterated Luigi. "It was Miss Van Allen. I know
her well. Often she comes to Fraschini's, and always I take her
orders. She came even this afternoon, to make sure the great cake--the
Jack Horner, was all right. And she approved it, ah, she clapped her
hands at sight of it. We all do our best for Miss Van Allen, she is a
lovely lady."