`Hold on!' Dr Fell suddenly boomed. He was having trouble keeping his glasses on his nose, and he held them to look at the girl. `Tell me, my dear. Was he carrying anything when he came back?'

`This,' she cried again — `this is something horrible to do with Uncle Lester, and I won't have it! He's the only one who's really frightfully nice to me, and he is, and I won't have it.'

She was stamping on the floor, bewildered, turning suddenly to Dalrye…:

`I'll be damned,' the other flared, `if she answers you another question. Listen, Sheila. Go into the other rooms and see if there's anything you want to take along…. '

Hadley was about to interpose when Dr Fell silenced him with a fierce gesture. Then the doctor spoke amiably:

`It's quite all right, my dear. I hadn't meant to upset you, and it wasn't, important, anyway. Do as Mr Dalrye suggests, please…. But there is one thing… You know, I asked you on the telephone whether you would bring somebody along to help you with your things. And I suggested your father's valet…?'

Marks?' she exclaimed, puzzled. `Why, yes. I forgot. He's out in the car '

`Thank you, my dear. There isn't anything else.'

'You go in there and look about, Sheila,' Dalrye suggested. `I'll join you in a moment.'

He waited until the door had closed, Then he turned slowly. There was dull colour under, his cheekbones; he was still visibly shaken, and his mouth worked.