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sneered. “I can account for only one here.”
    “Thank you for the compliment, Sidney,” Boonton retorted. “I’m glad you admit you’re no gentleman.”
    “Don’t speak to me, you—you double-crosser!’ Sidney fumed. ”I’ll have you understand that you and I are not on speaking terms!”
    Boonton turned to Nancy. “Who are you?”
    “Why, Mr. Boonton, we were introduced last night,” Nancy replied. “Bess and George were here with me, don’t you recall?”
    “I remember you!” Sidney exclaimed. “You were in a car down where the tree fell. Say, what’s your business at this place?”
    “See here, Sidney,” Boonton yelled, “you’re just trying to keep me from going upstairs! I can see through your tricks!”
    “I’ll go up first because I’m his blood relative, and bear his name,” Sidney shouted.
    He suddenly pushed Nancy aside and jerked open the door. With a strangled cry Boonton caught his rival by the coat and the two men leaped into the hallway together, Nancy at their heels.
    A new obstacle confronted them, however, and Nancy felt like giving Carol Wipple three cheers. Across the bottom step of the stairs she had stretched a broom and a mop. Many of the treads were dripping soapy water, and halfway up knelt Carol, surrounded by three buckets of water.
    “Hey! Let us up!” Boonton shouted.
    Carol gave a start and upset one pail. The men leaped to one side just as a cascade of dirty water splashed down upon the spot where they had been standing.
    “Oh, you scared me!” Carol cried, while Nancy suppressed a chuckle. “Wait, and I’ll mop the water so you can come up without slipping.”
    While the two men fairly danced with impatience, Carol carried down one pail of water, then climbed the stairs again and carried another to the top. Then slowly she wiped away the excess water.
    Her skirt was soaked and her hands red, but Carol seemed to be enjoying herself. She picked up the broom and mop, then the two men made a rush for the stairs.
    They jammed together, clawing at each other for a moment. At last Boonton gained the advantage and darted upward, Sidney only a step behind.
    “Carol, you were superb!” Nancy whispered, hugging the girl. “It gave Asa Sidney and Dad another precious five minutes.”
    The young detective raced up the steps after the two men. She reached them just as they burst into the tower room.

CHAPTER VIII
    Eavesdropper
    “IN the name of the law I demand that you stop!” Peter Boonton shouted as he entered the tower room.
    “Don’t pay any attention to him!” Jacob Sidney answered coolly.
    Nancy saw Asa Sidney in his favorite chair near the great twisted candle. Standing at a nearby table was Carson Drew, staring calmly over his shoulder at the intruders. Raymond Hill was seated at the table, a pen in his hand. Apparently he had just finished using it because he capped the pen and returned it to his pocket.
    “What branch of the law do you represent?” Mr. Drew asked the newcomers, gathering up the papers.
    Boonton stood stock-still, his mouth opening and closing. “I—I’m not an officer,” he said finally. “But hasn’t a relative any rights in a case like this?”
    “A case like what?” Mr. Drew asked. “I’ve just finished drawing Mr. Asa Sidney’s will, which Mr. Hill, here, has witnessed. Is there anything illegal about that?”
    “I demand to see the document,” Jacob Sidney announced, striding forward, “to be sure this is the document of a person who is mentally sound.”
    “I assure you it is,” the lawyer said, somewhat annoyed.
    Jacob spoke up. “We don’t want any ideas put into this old man’s head.”
    The remark angered Nancy. Her father’s code of justice was rigid and unyielding. Her blue eyes flashing, she said, “Mr. Sidney, I think you owe my father an apology and Mr. Asa Sidney too!”
    Jacob Sidney gave an ingratiating smile. “Little spitfire, eh? Who are you, anyhow? Everybody seems to be running this show