"Mrs. Armstrong asked me to thank you for your kindness to
Louise, whose whim, occurring at the time it did, put her to
great inconvenience. Also--and this is a delicate matter--she
asked me to appeal to your natural sympathy for her, at this
time, and to ask you if you will not reconsider your decision
about the house. Sunnyside is her home; she loves it dearly, and
just now she wishes to retire here for quiet and peace."
"She must have had a change of heart," I said, ungraciously
enough. "Louise told me her mother despised the place. Besides,
this is no place for quiet and peace just now. Anyhow, doctor,
while I don't care to force an issue, I shall certainly remain
here, for a time at least."
"For how long?" he asked.
"My lease is for six months. I shall stay until some
explanation is found for certain things. My own family is
implicated now, and I shall do everything to clear the mystery of
Arnold Armstrong's murder."
The doctor stood looking down, slapping his gloves
thoughtfully against the palm of a well-looked-after hand.
"You say there have been intruders in the house?" he asked.
"You are sure of that, Miss Innes?"
"Certain."
"In what part?"
"In the east wing."
"Can you tell me when these intrusions occurred, and what the
purpose seemed to be? Was it robbery?"
"No," I said decidedly. "As to time, once on Friday night a
week ago, again the following night, when Arnold Armstrong was
murdered, and again last Friday night.
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