"More deduction," said Drew. "Don't jump at conclusions, Delaney. Get facts and work from them. Get----"
The Detective's voice trailed into silence. He reached swiftly and wiped his hand over the frosted pane. He pressed his nose against the glass until it became white with cold. He jerked back his head.
"Quek!" he signaled from deep down in his throat. "Quek, Delaney! Open the door. Somebody is coming out of the house!"
Delaney twisted the handle. A breath of stinging air swept into the taxi's heated space. Snow followed and drifted across the detectives' knees. Both men strained in one position. Their eyes burned as they waited with grim-set lips.
A light shone from the lower entrance of the mansion. Its oblong brought out in bold-relief the details of the iron-grilled gates. Across this fine snow sifted. A man emerged. He closed the door. He opened the gates and staggered toward the Avenue's curb. He stood, bare-headed in the night. His chin swung north and south with helpless motion. He fixed his eyes upon the waiting taxi, with a start of recognition. He came over the surface of the Avenue with faltering, bewildered steps.
"The butler!" snapped Drew. "That's Stockbridge's butler! What's happened?"
Drew climbed over the operative and sprang to the curb. He charged around the rear of the taxi and brought up with a jerk before the startled servant.
The butler stammered an incoherent answer. His eyes wavered from the taxi to the mansion--then back again. They gripped to a dead-lock with the detective's own.
"Keep cool! Answer me!" The Detective clutched the butler's shoulder with a vise-grip.
"Answer me," he repeated. "What happened? What is the matter--over there?"
"The telephone company, sir. The telephone people rang me ... they rang me hup hon the downstairs 'phone, sir. They said ... she said ... the chief-loidy said for me to 'ang the receiver hup hon the Gramercy 'ill 'ook, sir. The 9763 one, sir."
"I goes back where I 'ad left the second-man, sir, by the door, sir, as you'd ordered, sir. I knocks 'ard on the door."
"Yes! Yes!" said Drew, feeling Delaney's hot breath over his shoulder. "Yes! Go on!"
"I knocks, sir. I pounds 'ard. I 'ammers and 'ammers hon the wood, sir. 'E don't answer--'e don't."