“Craig,” Lenora said firmly.
“It is a very accurate description of Craig,” Sanford Quest agreed.
The Professor looked troubled, also a little perplexed. He said nothing, however.
“Under these circumstances,” the Inspector continued, “I have had the house watched, and I propose that we now search it systematically. It is very possible that something may transpire to help us. Of course, my men went through it roughly when we brought Miss Lenora away, but that wasn’t anything of a search to count, if the place really has become a haunt of criminals.”
“What about the ownership of the house?” Quest asked, as he took up his hat.
The Inspector nodded approvingly.
“I am making a few enquiries in that direction,” he announced. “I expect to have something to report very shortly.”
The Professor stood drawing on his gloves. The vague look of trouble still lingered in his face.
“Tell me again,” he begged, “the name of the avenue in which this residence is situated?”
“Gayson Avenue,” the inspector replied. “It’s a bit out of the way, but it’s not a bad neighbourhood.”
The Professor repeated the address to himself softly. For a moment he stood quite still. His manner showed signs of growing anxiety. He seemed to be trying to remember something.
“The name,” he admitted finally, as they moved towards the door, “suggests to me, I must confess—We are going to see the house, Inspector?”
“We are on our way there now, sir—that is, if the young ladies are willing?” he added, glancing at Laura.
“We’ve been waiting here with our hats on for the last half-hour,” Laura replied promptly. “You’ve stretched your ten minutes out some, Mr. French.”
The Inspector manoeuvred to let the others pass on, and descended the stairs by Laura’s side.
“Couldn’t help it,” he confided, lowering his tone a little. “Had some information come in about that house I couldn’t quite size up. You’re looking well this morning, Miss Laura.”
“Say, who are you guying!” she replied.
“I mean it,” the Inspector persisted. “That hat seems to suit you.”
Laura laughed at the top of her voice.
“Say, kid,” she exclaimed to Lenora, “the Inspector here’s setting up as a judge of millinery!”
Lenora turned and looked at them both with an air of blank astonishment. The Inspector was a little embarrassed.
“No need to give me away like that,” he muttered, as they reached the hall. “Now then, ladies and gentlemen, if you are ready.”
They took their places in the automobile and drove off. As they neared the vicinity of Gayson Avenue, the Professor began to show signs of renewed uneasiness. When they drew up at last outside the house, he gave a little exclamation. His face was grave, almost haggard.
“Mr. Quest,” he said, “Inspector French, I deeply regret that I have a statement to make.”
They both turned quickly towards him. The Inspector smiled in a confidential manner at Laura. It was obvious that he knew what was coming.
“Some years ago,” the Professor continued, “I bought this house and made a present of it to—”
“To whom?” Quest asked quickly.
“To my servant Craig,” the Professor admitted with a groan.
Lenora gave a little cry. She turned triumphantly towards the Inspector.
“All recollection as to its locality had escaped me,” the Professor continued sorrowfully. “I remember that it was on the anniversary of his having been with me for some fifteen years that I decided to show him some substantial mark of my appreciation. I knew that he was looking for a domicile for his father and mother, who are since both dead, and I requested a house agent to send me in a list of suitable residences. This, alas! was the one I purchased.”
Quest glanced around the place.
“I think,” he said, “that the Professor’s statement now removes any doubt as to Craig’s guilt. You are sure the house has been closely watched, Inspector?”
“Since I received certain information,” French replied, “I have had half-a-dozen of my best men in the vicinity. I can assure you that no one has entered or left it during the last twenty-four hours.”
They made their way to the piazza steps and entered by the front door. The house was an ordinary framework one of moderate size, in poor repair, and showing signs of great neglect. The rooms were barely furnished, and their first cursory search revealed no traces of habitation. There was still the broken skylight in the room which Lenora had occupied, and the bed upon which she had slept was still crumpled. French, who had been tapping the walls downstairs, called to them. They trooped down into the hall. The Inspector was standing before what appeared to be an ordinary panel.
“Look here,” he said, glancing out of the corner of his eye to be sure that Laura was there, “let me show you what I have just discovered.”
He felt with his thumb for a spring. In a moment or two a portion of the wall, about two feet in extent, slowly revolved, disclosing a small cupboard fitted with a telephone instrument.
“A telephone,” the Inspector remarked, pointing to it, “in an unoccupied house and a concealed cupboard. What do you think of that?”
The Professor shook his head.
“Don’t ask me,” he groaned.
French took the receiver from its rest and called up the exchange.
“Inspector French speaking,” he announced. “Kindly tell me what is the number of the telephone from which I am speaking, and who is the subscriber?”
He listened to the reply and asked another question.
“Can you tell me when this instrument was last used?… When?… Thank you!”
The Inspector hung up the receiver.
“The subscriber’s name,” he told them drily, “is Brown. The number is not entered in the book, by request. The telephone was used an hour ago from a call office, and connection was established. That is to say that some one spoke from this telephone.”
“Then if your men have maintained their search properly, that some one,” Quest said slowly, “must be in the house at the present moment.”
“Without a doubt,” the Inspector agreed. “I should like to suggest,” he went on, “that the two young ladies wait for us now in the automobile. If this man turns out as desperate as he has shown himself ingenious, there may be a little trouble.”
They both protested vigorously. Quest shrugged his shoulders.
“They must decide for themselves,” he said. “Personally, I like Lenora, who has had less experience of such adventures, to grow accustomed to danger…. With your permission, Inspector, I am going to search the front room on the first floor before we do anything else. I think that if you wait here I may be able to show you something