Both Mary Louise and the Colonel tried to do, this, and Josie seemed satisfied.
"Now, then," she said, rising, "let's go to her room. I hope it hasn't been disturbed since she left it."
"The police have taken the key and forbidden anyone to enter the room."
"Quite proper. But we'll go there, just the same."
The room was but a few steps away, in the same corridor, and when they arrived there Josie drew a bunch of slender keys from her purse and unlocked the door with no difficulty. Having entered, she turned on the electric lights and cast a curious glance around.
"Let's read Alora's room," said she, while her companions stood listening. "To begin with, we see her night-dress nicely folded and her toilet articles arranged in neat order on the dresser. Chambermaid did that, for Alora is not neat. Proving that her stuff was just strewn around and the orderly maid put things straight. Which leads to the supposition that Alora was led away rather suddenly."
"Oh, do you think so?"
"She left the door ajar, but took the key. Intended, of course, to lock her room, but was so agitated by what she saw or heard that she forgot and just walked away."
"But no one saw her leave the hotel," observed Mary Louise.
"Then she didn't pass through the office, but through the less used Ladies' Entrance at the side."