"I suppose not."

"And if the door of Number Six had opened while your back was turned, would
you have heard it?"

Joseph shook his head. "No, sir; there was a lot of applauding--like
that," he paused as a roar of laughter came from across the hall.

The commissary turned quickly to one of his men. "See that they make less
noise. And be careful no one leaves the banquet room _on any excuse_. I'll
be there presently." Then to the waiter: "Did you hear any sound from
Number Six? Anything like a shot?"

"No, sir."

"Hm! It must have been the thunder. Now tell me this, could anyone have
passed you in the corridor while you stood at the banquet-room door without
your knowing it?"

Joseph's round, red face spread into a grin. "The corridor is narrow, sir,
and I"--he looked down complacently at his ample form--"I pretty well fill
it up, don't I, sir?"

"You certainly do. Give me a sheet of paper." And with a few rapid pencil
strokes the commissary drew a rough plan of the banquet room, the corridor,
and the seven private dining rooms. He marked carefully the two doors
leading from the banquet room into the corridor, the one where Joseph
listened, opposite Number Four, and the one opposite Number Six.