“Of course I can!” and with a determined air, Miss Prall went into her room and closed the door quite audibly.
Lifting his finger with a gesture of admonition, Corson made every one sit perfectly still and without speaking for about two minutes.
Then, rising himself, he opened Miss Prall’s door and bade her come out.
“Now,” he said, “I admit I made as little noise as possible, but did you hear me go out of the front door?”
“Of course I did!” declared the spinster, haughtily. “I heard you tiptoe to the door, open it stealthily and close it the same way.”
She looked calmly about, and then seeing the consternation on the faces of Richard and Eliza and the amused satisfaction on the countenances of the detectives, she saw she had made a false step, and became irate.
“What is it?” she began, but Richard interrupted her.
“Don’t say a word, Auntie,” he begged; “you see gentlemen, Miss Prall is a little sensitive about her slight deafness, and sometimes she imagines sounds that are not real.”
“I’m not deaf!” Letitia cried, but Eliza interposed:
“Do hush, Letitia. You only make matters worse! Will you be quiet?”