“What a happy chance, since she is from the district attorney’s office. If I may humbly suggest -“

“Oh, I never thought of that.” Kirk turned to his servant. “Paradise, ask Miss Morrow to come here. Make my excuses to my guests, and ask them to wait.”

“Very good, sir,” replied Paradise, and departed.

Kirk walked slowly about the room. The drawers of the big desk were open and their contents jumbled. “Somebody’s been on a frantic search here,” he said. He paused before the safe; its door was slightly ajar.

“Safe stands open,” suggested Chan.

“Odd about that,” said Kirk. “This afternoon Sir Frederic asked me to take out anything of value and move it upstairs. I did so. He didn’t explain.”

“Of course,” nodded Chan. “And at the dinner table he makes uncalled-for reference to fact that he has not locked safe. The matter struck me at the time. One thing becomes clear - Sir Frederic desired to set a trap. A safe unlocked to tempt marauders.” He nodded to the small volume that lay at the dead man’s side. “We must disturb nothing. Do not touch, but kindly regard book and tell me where last reposing.”

Kirk leaned over. “That? Why, it’s the yearbook of the Cosmopolitan Club. It was usually in that revolving case on which the telephone stands. It can’t mean anything.”

“Maybe not. Maybe” - Chan’s little eyes narrowed - “a hint from beyond the unknown.”

“I wonder,” mused Kirk.

“Sir Frederic was guest of Cosmopolitan Club?”

“Yes - I gave him a two weeks’ card. He wrote a lot of his letters there. But - but - I can’t see -“

“He was clever man. Even in moment of passing, his dying hand would seek to leave behind essential clue.”

“Speaking of that,” said Kirk, “how about those velvet slippers? Where are they?”

Chan shrugged. “Slippers were essential clue in one case, long ago. What did they lead to? Positively nothing. If I am suiting my own taste, this time I look elsewhere.”

Miss Morrow entered the room. Her face was usually full of color - an authentic color that is the gift of the fog to San Francisco’s daughters. Now it was deathly pale. Without speaking, she stepped beyond the desk and looked down. For a moment she swayed, and Barry Kirk leaped forward.

“No, no,” cried the girl.

“But I thought -” he began.

“You thought I was going to faint.