Shehadwonbackhercomposure，andIturnedonmylighttolookather。Shewasinnurses\'outdooruniform，andIthoughthereyesseemedtired。Thepricelessgiftthathadsuddenlycometomehaddrivenoutallrecollectionofmyownerrand。IthoughtofIveryonlyasawould-beloverofMary，andforgotthemanufacturerfromLillewhohadrentedhishouseforthepartridge-shooting。
\'Andyou，Dick，\'sheasked；\'isitpartofageneral\'sdutiestopayvisitsatnighttoemptyhouses？\'
\'IcametolookfortracesofM。Bommaerts。I，too，gotonhistrackfromanotherangle，butthatstorymustwait。\'
\'Youobservethathehasbeenheretoday？\'
Shepointedtosomecigaretteashspilledonthetableedge，andaspaceonitssurfaceclearedfromdust。\'Inaplacelikethisthedustwouldsettleagaininafewhours，andthatisquiteclean。Ishouldsayhehasbeenherejustafterluncheon。\'