“Now for our experiment,” he said. “I’m going to replace these gloves and go down for an arrow. Miss Mount will be in the dining-room by this time.”
“All right,” answered Landis. Graham nodded absently. The mention of Brent’s name seemed to have shocked him into a train of absorbed and startled conjecture.
Outside the door, Bernard ordered the policeman on guard there to follow him down to the library. He led the way along the hall to the wing stairs and thence through the lower wing hall and the billiard-room to the rear library door.
Here he selected an undamaged Japanese arrow from the quiver, explained his wishes to the sergeant and presently retraced his steps to the upper wing hall. He knocked on Miss Mount’s door and getting no answer, entered, laid the arrow on the desk, passed through the bathroom, put the gloves on Joel’s work-bench and after a moment crossed the hall to Graham’s room.
During his absence, Landis had remarked that Bernard loved a mystery as he loved a man-hunt and the two men had smiled at each other. The conversation lapsed after that, but each looked up with a reminiscent smile as Bernard entered.
“All ready,” announced Bernard. “The arrow’s across the hall. Come on, Landis.” To Graham he added: “I’ve borrowed your guard for a bit, so lock your door if you like, though I don’t believe you’re in any danger.”
“I will. But look here, Mr. Bernard, do you think this experiment of yours is safe? This whole business is such a mystery! Drat this arm! I wish I could get up and help!”
“It’s safe enough,” smiled Bernard. “And it’s really necessary. It will reproduce all the stresses and strains on the black thread and prove whether the theory Landis advanced would work out in practice. Don’t you worry about us. You lock your door until we get back and we’ll tell you all about it.”
“All right,” agreed the young lawyer dubiously.
Out in the hall with Graham’s door closed, Landis turned on Bernard.