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ontemplated in response to the lawyer's appeal was checked by a scream from the girl on his right。 With ashen face and trembling finger she pointed to Turnbull's body which suddenly confronted her as she walked forward。
〃Who is it？〃 she gasped。 〃Babs； tell me！〃 And she held out her hand imploringly。
Her sister stepped to her side and bent over Turnbull。 When she looked up her lips alone retained their color。
〃Hush！〃 she implored； giving her sister a slight shake。 〃Hush！ It is Jimmie Turnbull。 Can you not see for yourself； dear？〃
It seemed doubtful if Helen heard her； with attention wholly centered on the dead man she swayed on her feet； and Dr。 Stone； thinking she was about to fall； placed a supporting arm about her。
〃Do you not know Jimmie？〃 asked her sister。 〃Don't stare so； dearest。〃 Her tone was pleading。
〃Perhaps the young lady has some difficulty in recognizing Mr。 Turnbull in his disguise；〃 suggested Ferguson； who stood somewhat in the background but closely observing the scene。
〃Disguise！〃 Helen raised her eyes and Ferguson； hardened as he had become to tragic scenes； felt a throb of pity as he caught the pent…up agony in her mute appeal。
〃Yes； Miss；〃 he said awkwardly。 〃The burglar you caught in your house was Mr。 Turnbull in disguise。
Barbara McIntyre released her grasp of her sister's arm and collapsed on a chair。 Stone； still supporting Helen； felt her muscles grow taut and an instant later she stepped back from his side and stood by her sister。 As the two girls faced the circle of men； the likeness between them was extraordinary。 Each had the same slight graceful figure； equal height； and feature for feature； coloring matching coloring； they were identical； their gowns； even； were cut on similar lines； only their hats varied in shape and color。
〃Do I understand； gentlemen；〃 Helen began； and her voice gained steadiness as she proceeded； 〃that the burglar whom Officer O'Ryan and I caught lurking in our house was James Turnbull？〃
〃He was；〃 answered Ferguson； and Stone； as the twins looked dumbly at him； confirmed the detective's statement with a brief； 〃Yes。〃
The silence that ensued was broken by Barbara rising to her feet。
〃Jimmie won his wager；〃 she announced。 Her gaze did not waver before the concentrated regard of the men facing her。 〃He broke into our house … but； oh； how can I pay my debt to him now that he is dead！〃
〃Hush！〃 Helen laid a cautioning hand on her sister's arm as the latter's voice gained in shrillness； the shrillness of approaching hysteria。
〃I am all right； Helen。〃 Barbara waved her away impatiently。 〃What caused Jimmie's death？〃
〃Angina pectoris；〃 declared Rochester。 〃Too much excitement brought on a fatal attack。〃 Barbara nodded dazedly。 〃I knew he had heart trouble； but …〃 She stepped toward Turnbull and her voice quivered with feeling。 〃Don't leave Jimmie lying there； take him to his room； doctor；〃 turning entreatingly to Stone。
The physician looked at her compassionately。 〃I will； just as soon as the coroner views the body；〃 he promised。 〃But come away now； Babs； this is no place for you and Helen。〃 He signed to the deputy marshal to open the door as he walked across the room； Barbara keeping step with him； and her sister following in their wake。 At the door Barbara paused and looked back。
〃Will there be an inquest？〃 she asked。
〃That's for the coroner to decide；〃 responded Ferguson。 〃As long as Mr。 Turnbull entered your house on a wager and died from an attack of angina pectoris the inquest is likely to be a mere formality。 Ah； here is the coroner now；〃 as a man paused in the doorway。
Helen McIntyre moved back from the door to make room for Coroner Penfield。 Having had occasion to attend court that morning； he was passing the door when attracted by the group just inside the room。 Courteously acknowledging Helen's act； Penfield stepped briskly across the threshold and stopped abruptly on catching sight of the lonely figure on the floor。
〃Won't you hold an autopsy； Ferguson？〃 asked Clymer； breaking his long silence。
〃No； sir； we never do when the cause of death is apparent；〃 the detective bowed to Coroner Penfield。 〃Isn't that so； Coroner？〃
Penfield nodded。 〃Unless the condition of the body indicates foul play or the relatives specially request it； we do not perform autopsies；〃 he answered。 〃What has happened here？〃 and he gazed about with quickened interest。
〃Mr。 Turnbull； who masqueraded as a burglar on a wager with Miss McIntyre died suddenly from angina pectoris；〃 explained the deputy marshal。
〃Just a case of death from natural causes；〃 broke in Rochester。 〃Please write out a permit for me to remove Turnbull's body； Dr。 Penfield。〃
Helen McIntyre took a step forward。 Her eyes； twice their accustomed size； shone brightly； in contrast to her dead white face。 Carefully avoiding her sister's glance she addressed the coroner。
〃I must insist；〃 she began and stopped to control her voice。 〃As Mr。 Turnbull's fiancee； I …〃 she faltered again。 〃I demand that an autopsy be held to determine the cause of his death。〃
CHAPTER III
THE ROOM WITH THE SEVEN DOORS
Mrs。 Brewster regarded her surroundings with inward satisfaction。 It would have taken a far more captious critic than the pretty widow to find fault with the large； high…ceilinged room in which she sat。 The handsome carved Venetian furniture； the rich hangings and valuable paintings on the walls gave evidence of Colonel McIntyre's artistic taste and appreciation of the beautiful。 Mrs。 Brewster had never failed； during her visit to the McIntyre twins； to examine the rare curios in the carved cabinets and the tapestries on the walls； but that afternoon； with one eye on the clock and the other on her embroidery； she sat waiting in growing impatience for the interruption she anticipated。
The hands of the clock had passed the hour of five before the buzz of a distant bell brought her to her feet。 Hurrying to the window she peeped between the curtains in time to see a stylish roadster electric glide down the driveway leading from the McIntyre residence and stop at the curb。 As she turned to go back to her chair Dr。 Stone was ushered into the library by the footman。 Mrs。 Brewster welcomed her cousin with frank relief。
〃I have waited so impatiently for you；〃 she confessed； making room for him to sit on the sofa by her side。
〃I was detained； Margaret。〃 Stone's voice was not over…cordial； three imperative telephone calls from her； coming at a moment when he had been engaged with a serious case in his office； had provoked him。 〃Do you wish to see me professionally？〃
〃Indeed； I don't。〃 She laughed frankly。 〃I am the picture of health。〃
Stone； observing her fine coloring and clear eyes； silently agreed with her。 The widow made a charming picture in her modish tea…gown； and the physician； watching her with an appraising eye； acknowledged the beauty which had captivated all Washington。 Mrs。 Brewster had carried her honors tactfully； a fact which had gained her popularity even among the dowagers and match…making mothers who take an active part in Washington's social season。
〃Then； Margaret； what do you wish to see me about？〃 Stone asked； after waiting without result for her to continue speaking。
She laughed softly。 〃You are the most practical of men；〃 she said。 〃It would not have been so difficult to find a companion anxious to spend the whole afternoon with me for my sake alone。〃
〃Colonel McIntyre； for instance？〃 he teased； and laughed amusedly at her heightened color。 〃Have a care； Margaret； McIntyre's flirtations are all very well； but he is the type of man to be deadly in earnest when once he falls in love。〃
〃Thanks for your warning；〃 Mrs。 Brewster smiled； then grew serious。 〃I sent for you to ask about Jimmie Turnbull's death this morning。 Barbara told me you accompanied them to the police court。〃
〃Yes。 Why weren't you with the girls？〃
〃Because I was told nothing of their trip to the； police court until they had returned；〃 she replied。 〃How horribly tragic the whole affair is！〃 And a shiver she could not suppress crept down her spine。
〃It is；〃 agreed Stone。 〃What possessed Jimmie Turnbull to play so mad a trick？〃
〃His wager with Barbara。〃
Stone leaned a little nearer。 〃Have you learned the nature of that wager？〃 he asked； lowering his voice。
〃No。 Babs was in so hysterical a condition when she returned from the police court that she gave a very incoherent account of the whole affair； and she has kept her room ever since luncheon；〃 explained Mrs。 Brewster。
Stone looked puzzled。 〃I understood that Jimmie was attentive to Helen McIntyre and not to Barbara；〃 he said。 〃But upon my word； Barbara appeared more overcome by Jimmie's death than Helen。〃
Mrs。 Brewster did not reply at once； instead； she glanced carefully around。 The room was generally the rallying place of the McIntyres。 It stretched across almost the entire width of the house； the diamond…paned and recessed windows gave it a medieval air in keeping with its antique furniture； and the seven doors opening from it led； respectively； to the large dining room beyond； a morning room； billiard room； the front and back halls； and the