“I do indeed!” and the approving smile that was Zizi’s most welcome reward lighted up the detective’s face.
Zizi pursued her plan of talking to the various people separately. She gleaned much this way and with her powers of lightning calculation, she put two and two together with astounding results.
She even lured the old Professor into a tête-à-tête conversation.
“No, I don’t believe those deaths were supernatural, now,” he said, thoughtfully; “I did, but it’s too incredible. However, it’s no more unbelievable than that they could have been accomplished by human power.”
“They were,” and Zizi’s black head nodded affirmation.
“How, then?”
“By a diabolically clever genius. Tell me again, Professor, just how those people were sitting? Were they together?”
“Mr. Bruce and Vernie? No. There was the width of the room between them.”
“Were you near either?”
“Yes, sitting next to Mr. Bruce. We were talking absorbedly.”