the stain shows on the floor. It has been carried away within half an
hour."

"A likely story. Who could do the job? Nobody round this shebang but
Sallie an' me. I sure ain't been in yere, an' I reckon it wan't
Sallie. So cut it out, young feller. After breakfast you an' I 'll
hav' a talk, an' find out a few things. Come on, Broussard, an' let 's
talk over that matter o' ours."

The two went down the stairs together, and I closed the door of the
rear room, and stepped out into the hall. Sallie was in the kitchen,
for I heard her voice questioning the men as they passed through. Out
of the window I caught a glimpse of them both disappearing through the
weeds toward the bayou. As to myself I was more at sea than ever. The
sudden disappearance of the body had left me bewildered, yet more
strongly convinced than before that this was no ordinary affair.
Evidences of a plan, of cooperation, rendered the situation serious.
That dead body had not moved itself; human hands had accomplished the
deed during the brief period of my absence outside. Whose hands could
have done it? Not those of Coombs, surely, for he could not have
passed me and attained the house while I was in the garden unseen. Nor
Sally, for she possessed no strength to more than drag the dead man to
some near-by covert. With the possibility of this in mind I searched
the vacant rooms of that floor, closets and all, thoroughly, but to no
result. There was, therefore, but one conclusion possible--unknown
parties were involved. We were not alone in the house in spite of its
apparent desertion.

I paused in doubt before Mrs. Bernard's door, convinced this was the
truth. Should I tell her frankly the story of the night, my vague