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sole heir, Mitchell?”
    â€œYes, she is. But I don’t—”
    â€œYou don’t feel like going into the next room and asking her if she pushed her brother off the cliff, last night. That would certainly have given him a fatal heart attack, wouldn’t it?”
    Mitchell gave him a doubtful and grudging look. “I haven’t said any such thing.”
    â€œSo I had to say it for you. You want me to introduce you to these ladies?”
    â€œI have to go easy.”
    â€œCertainly. The approach will have to be indirect.”
    â€œYou mean you’ll do it?”
    â€œCertainly I’ll do it. Why not?” Gamadge turned, and was about to pick up the telephone.
    â€œLook out!” Mitchell started forward. “I have some fingerprint men coming down this afternoon.”
    â€œOh.” Gamadge picked the receiver up by its edge. “That you, Wilks? Give me—no, wait a minute. Send one of the boys up, will you?” He said over his shoulder: “Mrs. Cowden may not be answering her telephone.”
    â€œIn a hurry, ain’t you?” Mitchell studied him curiously, as he replaced the receiver on its hook.
    â€œAren’t you?”
    â€œI have to see Mrs. Barclay, and get up to the Cove.”
    â€œI’ll drive you up, if you’re agreeable. I’d like to see the place. The poor little beggar asked me to go. I think I’d do well to accept his invitation.”
    Peabody, the short bellboy, knocked and came in.
    â€œOh, Peabody,” said Gamadge. “Go to Mrs. Cowden’s door, will you, and ask her if she will speak to Mr. Gamadge on the telephone.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    â€œIf she says she doesn’t know who I am, tell her I’m a friend of the Barclays. She met me there last night.”
    Peabody walked solemnly down the hall, past the intervening room, to Number 21. They heard his knock, and a low-voiced conversation. He returned, his solemn face lighted by an unaccustomed smile. “She says yes.”
    â€œI don’t believe that everybody could have got me that interview, Peabody. I’ll remember it. Now go down and tell Wilks to put me on to Room 21. Tell him it’s all right, Mrs. Cowden expects the call.”
    Peabody left, and Gamadge waited for a few moments, and then lifted the receiver again.
    â€œMrs. Cowden? I apologise for bothering you at such a time. First, let me ask if I can be of any help. Anything at all… Yes, I thought they might be at the Centre; that’s why I… Let me know if there’s anything, then. How is Miss Cowden?… Oh, I’m very sorry… You got hold of Baines? Good. I was going to say I could probably find him for you, on the golf course… Peabody did? That boy’s a jewel.
    â€œWhat I called up about, there’s a man here from the sheriff’s office, quite a nice fellow, state detective. He wants some data; you know these formalities. He didn’t feel that he could bother you this morning, but I had an idea you might be willing to help him out. Of course he could wait for Colonel Barclay to get back from the Centre… You’ll see him? I was pretty sure you would. Shall I get hold of him, then, and bring him up, say in half an hour? I agree with you—much better to get these things over with… Not at all, I’m only too glad. Good-bye.”
    Gamadge replaced the receiver gently on its hook, and turned to Mitchell with a condescending bow. Mitchell’s answering look held a mild and questioning wonder.
    â€œWhat’s the matter?” asked Gamadge.
    â€œYou’re a cool customer.” Mitchell was amused. He went on, frowning: “Did she say Miss Cowden was sick?”
    â€œCollapsed. They had Baines see to her.”
    â€œNow, that’s too bad. I was counting on seeing her.”
    â€œYou may, yet; who knows?”
    Somebody knocked, and little Peabody made a second appearance, holding a