Brower’s boardinghouse. He had a latchkey, and he seemed a long time getting the door open, and very nervous looking each way, and once he dropped the key. I heard it ring on the door stone.”

“Was there any light at Mrs. Brower’s?” asked Bob quickly.

“No, not for a long time,” answered Lancey. “I watched. But just when I thought there was no use watching anymore, there came a light in the third-story back room. It has a side window that looks down on the road to their garage, and a hand pulled down the shade, quick. I could only see a hand and an arm. And then I wondered what I ought to do. I felt somebody ought to know but wasn’t sure who. So I’ve slipped out here every time I could get away to see if some of them would come back, so I could tell them without being noticed. I knew my aunt would be furious if her name got tangled up in it. And I wasn’t at all sure I ought to let it get known anyway, only to the people to whom it mattered. After the light went out, I was so cold that I went back to my room, but I couldn’t sleep all night. Do you think it is important? Do you think I should tell the police?”

“You poor kid!” said Bob, his voice full of tenderness. “Don’t worry anymore about it. Sure I think it’s important, but you needn’t do anything about it. I’ll tell MacFarland, and then if he wants to know more he can ask you. I’ll tell him to keep your name out of it, see? He’ll understand. He’s a prince.”

“Oh, thank you!” said Lancey with a sigh of relief. “I was afraid my aunt would have to know about it, and she isn’t—well—it’s not easy to make her understand. She would have thought I ought not to have been watching. She would have thought I was to blame somehow.”

“You poor kid!” said Bob again, his voice bringing the rosy color into her cheeks. “Leave it to me. I’ll try to get another chance to speak to you about it without calling the attention of the town. Could I call you up?”

“Oh no,” said Lancey, shrinking. “My aunt would be sure to answer, or question, and be most unpleasant.”

“All right. You just trust me. I’ll get word to you somehow. Write you a note or something.