You are sure the house has been closely watched,
Inspector?"
"Since I received certain information," French replied, "I have had
half-a-dozen of my best men in the vicinity. I can assure you that no one
has entered or left it during the last twenty-four hours."
They made their way to the piazza steps and entered by the front door. The
house was an ordinary framework one of moderate size, in poor repair, and
showing signs of great neglect. The rooms were barely furnished, and their
first cursory search revealed no traces of habitation. There was still the
broken skylight in the room which Lenora had occupied, and the bed upon
which she had slept was still crumpled. French, who had been tapping the
walls downstairs, called to them. They trooped down into the hall. The
Inspector was standing before what appeared to be an ordinary panel.
"Look here," he said, glancing out of the corner of his eye to be sure
that Laura was there, "let me show you what I have just discovered."
He felt with his thumb for a spring. In a moment or two a portion of the
wall, about two feet in extent, slowly revolved, disclosing a small
cupboard fitted with a telephone instrument.
"A telephone," the Inspector remarked, pointing to it, "in an unoccupied
house and a concealed cupboard. What do you think of that?"
The Professor shook his head.
"Don't ask me," he groaned.
French took the receiver from its rest and called up the exchange.
"Inspector French speaking," he announced.
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