The detective turned swiftly to the Doctor, as if to put his case
before the eyes of an unprejudiced witness.
"That Jap rang the phone," he said decisively. "Miss Van Gorder
believes that this murder is the culmination of the series of
mysterious happenings that caused her to send for me. I do not."
"Then what is the significance of the anonymous letters?" broke in
Miss Cornelia heatedly. "Of the man Lizzie saw going up the stairs,
of the attempt to break into this house--of the ringing of that
telephone bell?"
Anderson replied with one deliberate word.
"Terrorization," he said.
The Doctor moistened his dry lips in an effort to speak.
"By whom?" he asked.
Anderson's voice was an icicle.
"I imagine by Miss Van Gorder's servants. By that woman there--"
he pointed at Lizzie, who rose indignantly to deny the charge. But
he gave her no time for denial. He rushed on, "--who probably
writes the letters," he continued. "By the gardener--" his pointing
finger found Bailey "--who may have been the man Lizzie saw slipping
up the stairs. By the Jap, who goes out and rings the telephone," he
concluded triumphantly.
Miss Cornelia seemed unimpressed by his fervor.
"With what object?" she queried smoothly.
"That's what I'm going to find out!" There was determination in
Anderson's reply.
Miss Cornelia sniffed. "Absurd! The butler was in this room when
the telephone rang for the first time."
The thrust pierced Anderson's armor.
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