Was he going to run away on some pretext before she could finish her story?
She gave a sigh of relief when Billy, re-entering with the key to the front door, blocked any such attempt at escape.
Mechanically she watched Billy cross to the table, lay the key upon it, and return to the hall without so much as a glance at the tense, suspicious circle of faces focused upon herself and her lover.
"I put it--somewhere else," she repeated, her eyes going back to the Doctor.
"Did you give it to Bailey ?" "No--I hid it--and then I told where it was--to the Doctor--" Dale swayed on her feet.

All turned surprisedly toward the Doctor.

Miss Cornelia rose from her chair.
The Doctor bore the battery of eyes unflinchingly.

"That's rather inaccurate," he said, with a tight little smile.

"You told me where you had placed it, but when I went to look for it, it was gone." "Are you quite sure of that ?" queried Miss Cornelia acidly.
"Absolutely," he said.