“Perhaps, as the Professor suggested, Wise knows of the secret entrance, if there is one, and of course, Zizi does too. Or, that little monkey could have scrambled down from the second-story window, she’s as agile as a cat! Anyway, Norma, she wasn’t pitched in the lake by the same villain that did for Uncle Gif and Vernie.”
“Who could that have been?”
“Who, indeed?”
“Rudolph, tell me one thing,—please be frank; do you think any one we know—is,—is responsible for those deaths?”
Braye turned a pained look at her. “Don’t ask such questions, dear,” he said. “I can’t answer you,—I don’t want to answer.”
“I am answered,” said Norma, sadly. “I know you share the—the fear, I won’t call it a suspicion,—that Eve and I do. And—Rudolph, Milly fears it, too. She won’t say so, of course, but I know by the way she looks at Wynne, when she thinks no one notices. And she’s so afraid Mr. Wise will look in that direction. Oh, Rudolph, must we let that detective go on,—no matter what he—exposes?”
“Landon got him up here,” said Braye, “no, the Professor really heard of him first, but Landon urged his coming.”
“Milly didn’t. Could Wynne have been prompted by—by bravado?”
“I don’t know, dear. Please don’t talk of it, Norma. It seems——”
“I know, it seems disloyal to Wynne for us even to hint at such a thing. But if we could help him——”