Gertrude came back very soon, her face rather flushed.

“He came to ask us to get out,” she said, picking up her book with a jerk.  “He says Louise Armstrong wants to come here, now that she is recovering.”

“And what did you say?”

“I said we were very sorry we could not leave, but we would be delighted to have Louise come up here with us.  He looked daggers at me.  And he wanted to know if we would recommend Eliza as a cook.  He has brought a patient, a man, out from town, and is increasing his establishment—­that’s the way he put it.”

“I wish him joy of Eliza,” I said tartly.  “Did he ask for Halsey?”

“Yes.  I told him that we were on the track last night, and that it was only a question of time.  He said he was glad, although he didn’t appear to be, but he said not to be too sanguine.”

“Do you know what I believe?” I asked.  “I believe, as firmly as I believe anything, that Doctor Walker knows something about Halsey, and that he could put his finger on him, if he wanted to.”

There were several things that day that bewildered me.  About three o’clock Mr. Jamieson telephoned from the Casanova station and Warner went down to meet him.  I got up and dressed hastily, and the detective was shown up to my sitting-room.

“No news?” I asked, as he entered.  He tried to look encouraging, without success.  I noticed that he looked tired and dusty, and, although he was ordinarily impeccable in his appearance, it was clear that he was at least two days from a razor.

“It won’t be long now, Miss Innes,” he said.  “I have come out here on a peculiar errand, which I will tell you about later.  First, I want to ask some questions.  Did any one come out here yesterday to repair the telephone, and examine the wires on the roof?”

“Yes,” I said promptly; “but it was not the telephone.  He said the wiring might have caused the fire at the stable.  I went up with him myself, but he only looked around.”

Mr. Jamieson smiled.

“Good for you!” he applauded.  “Don’t allow any one in the house that you don’t trust, and don’t trust anybody.  All are not electricians who wear rubber gloves.”

He refused to explain further, but he got a slip of paper out of his pocketbook and opened it carefully.

“Listen,” he said.  “You heard this before and scoffed.  In the light of recent developments I want you to read it again.  You are a clever woman, Miss Innes.  Just as surely as I sit here, there is something in this house that is wanted very anxiously by a number of people.  The lines are closing up, Miss Innes.”

The paper was the one he had found among Arnold Armstrong’s effects, and I read it again: 

“——­by altering the plans for——­rooms, may be possible.  The best way, in my opinion, would be to——­the plan for——­in one of the——­rooms——­chimney.”

“I think I understand,” I said slowly.  “Some one is searching for the secret room, and the invaders—­”