'We didn't think we had any,' she said. 'Isn't it funny?'
'It's a scream.' Fred regarded her with level eyes, remote, speculative. 'Why won't you go on that train with KiUeen?' Then, with anger breaking through, 'You're in love mth him, aren't you?'
Alice nipped around on her heel and started down the hall. He ran after her and turned her around. 'You're bound and determined to risk your life in this madhouse?' He was watching her face. What he said lacked steam.
Alice raised her eyes, round and innocent. 'Why, you will protect me, Fred,' she said demurely.
'How do you know!' He was furious.
'I don't know how I know, but I do know,' said Alice childishly.
'I sure as hell will,' he said through his teeth. 'Fll protect you, never fear.' He put his hand on her shoulder and spun her around. 'And if you don't spend the most im-comfortable night you ever spent in your life . . . Go on, get in there.'
Alice let him shove her back into Imies's room. Why, she wondered for a fleeting second, does it make me happy when Fred gets angry?
Killeen came swiftly to her. 'I've got to go in a minute. Alice, I'm coming back, you know. Don't be too frightened.'
'Fm not afraid at all,' she said, and saw Fred's scowl and felt delighted.
'I've been thinking, Mr. Duff.' Alice looked at him sharply. He was so grave and quietly concerned and the well-bred servant, suddenly. 'Miss Brennan will have to be in here with me. You see, I'm supposed to be Mr, Whidock, and they ought to seem to be together. You know, because the whole point is to kill them off in succession, isn't it? She can get in there behind that headboard. She's skinny.'
'Thanks,' said Alice. 'Don't you mean slender?'
'Then I can be sure she's not roaming around some place,' Fred went on serenely. 'She might get some crazy idea. Of course, it'll be more or less uncomfortable ... But don't you get my point, sir?'
'I do,' said Duff, veiling his eyes and pulling his long upper lip down. 'I see your point, I think.'
Killeen looked about to protest. Innes looked startled. But Duff took charge.
'Mr. Killeen, you must leave this house now. Your train is nearly due. I -shall leave at the same time. These ar- : rangements stand. Be very careful and very quiet about shifting around up here.'
'Yes, sir,' said Fred.
'Alice, is there a key in your door?'
'Yes, sir,' she said.
'Lock it, then. Better if they can't discover too easily that you're not there.'
'I see.'
'Mr. Killeen will return by this window as soon as this room dims to a night light.'
'Yes, sir.'
'Mind the pillboxes. If they come in here. Watch. You know, they may decide to give it up and remove that dangerous piU and unmurder him, after all.'
'I know. Sure.'
'Keep an eye on Alice, always. Stay in here until Mr Whitlock's normal bedtime.'
'Yes, sir.'
''Then dim these lights.'
'What about me?' said Innes. 'What about me? How can I get. . .?'
'Oh, we'll carry you, sir. It'll be easy.'
'Where will you be, Mr. Duff?' asked Innes. 'Don'
leave us. I... I'm very nervous.'
'I shall be lying in ambush,' said Duff, ''with an eye on the noble red man. Of course, you realize that nothiiig at all may happen.' Their faces looked grave and a Utde disappointed. 'But if it does,' he said, 'it'll be something you don't expect, so expect that.'
He put his hand on Fred's shoulder for a minute, smiled at Alice, and went away, taking Killeen with him.
After that, for an hour, Innes took out his nervousness in half-whispered chatter, while Alice said 'yes,' 'no,' and 'of course not.'
Nobody came to bid him good night.
The house was quiet. In time it became evident that the Whidock girls had gone to bed.
Fred dimmed the light at eleven o'clock.
Nobody, so far, had bothered to unmurder Innes.
24
Alice was sitting on a pillow on the floor. She had to keep her shoulders parallel to the wall and her legs stretched pretty tight, that it would be more than the work of a moment to get out of there. In fact, she was a
