CHAPTER XXII

A SUSPICIOUS TEST

“Let him make his experiment.  It will do no harm, and if it rids us of him, well and good.”

Such was Mr. Harper’s decision after hearing all that Mr. Ransom had to tell him of the present situation.

“His disappointment when he learns that he has nothing to hope for from his sister’s generosity calls for some consideration from us,” proceeded the lawyer.  “Go and have your little talk with the landlady or take whatever other means suggest themselves for luring this girl from her room.  I will summon Hazen and hold him very closely under my eye till the whole affair is over.  He shall get no chance for any hocus-pocus business, not while I have charge of your interests.  He shall do just what he has laid out for himself and nothing more; you may rely on that.”

Ransom expressed his satisfaction, and left the room with a lighter heart than he had felt since Hazen came upon the scene.  He did not know that all he had been through was as nothing to what lay before him.

It was an hour before he returned.  When he did, it was to find Hazen and the lawyer awaiting him in ill-concealed impatience.  These two were much too incongruous in tastes and interests to be very happy in a forced and prolonged tete-a-tete.

“Have you done it?” exclaimed Hazen, leaping eagerly to his feet as the door closed softly behind Ransom.  “Is she out of her room?  I have listened and listened for her step, but could not be sure of it.  There seem to be a lot of people in the house to-night.”

“Too many,” quoth Ransom.  “That is why I couldn’t get hold of Mrs. Deo any sooner.  Anitra is having her hair brushed or something else of equal importance done for her in one of the rear rooms.  So we can proceed fearlessly.  Have you looked to see if you can get a good glimpse of her door through the keyhole of this one?”

“Haven’t you already made a trial of that?  Then do so now,” suggested Hazen, drawing out the key and laying it on the table.

But this was too uncongenial a task for Ransom.

“I shall be satisfied,” said he, “if Mr. Harper tells me that it can.”

“It can,” asserted that gentleman, falling on his knees and adjusting his eye to the keyhole.  “Or rather, you can see plainly the face of any one approaching it.  I don’t suppose any of us expected to see the door itself.”

“No, it is not the door, but the woman entering the door, we want to see.  Did you ask for an extra lamp?”

“Yes, and saw it placed.  It is on a small table almost opposite her room.”

“Then everything is ready.”

“All but the mark which I am to put on the panel.”

“Very good.  Here is the chalk.  Let us see what you mean to do with it before you risk an attempt on the door itself.”

Ransom thought a minute, then with one quick twist produced the following: