couple, a Mr. Ames and his wife. I understood father to say that he
had heard they were traveling in Europe. I am sure no one has lived
there since we have been in this apartment."

"How long have you been here?" asked Morgan.

"Let me see," said Miss Atwood, thoughtfully. "This is almost the
end of October, and we have been here since the middle of July. That
is a little over three months, isn't it?"

"July," repeated Morgan. "That isn't a renting season. You must rent
this apartment furnished."

"We do," she replied, promptly. "Father was too busy to spend any
time on moving, so we stored our things in St. Louis and took this
apartment."

"Real estate agents have been making lots of money these days. I
hear a great many people have to pay them a bonus for finding
apartments. I suppose they stuck you that way, too."

"No," returned the girl. "I understand that father rented direct
from the tenant. I believe the tenant was a friend of his, or
someone he knew in a business way."

The embroidery which had been lying in Miss Atwood's lap had
gradually slipped forward and at this moment dropped to the floor.
As she reached down to pick it up, Morgan's alert eyes noted a
purplish mark on her forearm.