"
"Ah. Well, there is a light in that room, Knox."
"Possibly the Colonel has not retired?"
"According to Madame de Staemer he went to bed several hours ago, you
may remember."
"True," I murmured, fumbling for the significance of his words.
"The next point is this," he resumed. "You saw Madame retire to her own
room, which, as you know, is on the ground floor, and I have satisfied
myself that the door communicating with the servants' wing is locked."
"I see. But to what is all this leading, Harley?"
"To a very curious fact, and the fact is this: The Colonel is not
alone."
I sat bolt upright.
"What?" I cried.
"Not so loud," warned Harley.
"But, Harley--"
"My dear fellow, we must face facts. I repeat, the Colonel is not
alone."
"Why do you say so?"
"Twice I have seen a shadow on the blind of the smoke-room."
"His own shadow, probably."
Again Paul Harley's cigarette glowed in the darkness.
"I am prepared to swear," he replied, "that it was the shadow of a
woman."
"Harley----"
"Don't get excited, Knox. I am dealing with the strangest case of my
career, and I am jumping to no conclusions.
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