“I believe he is quite a favorite with women.” Hollister’s tone lacked enthusiasm. He paused by the electric light switch, preparatory to turning it off, when Curtis, who followed him more slowly across the bedroom, should have reached the hall door. “John liked him well enough. They always appeared friendly, and he was a frequent visitor here. I can’t understand why Armstrong left so suddenly last night, or why he hasn’t been back.”
“Armstrong returned just before I came upstairs.”
“He did?” Hollister stared at Curtis in silence for a second, then spoke with more than usual rapidity. “Have you talked with him?”
“No. Herman told me of his arrival and that he had gone at once to his bedroom.” Curtis paused by the open door and, unseen by Hollister, who had partly turned his back to switch off the lights in the bedroom, laid his hand on the outside door knob. From it still dangled the piece of string which the night before had led him to believe that he was entering his bedroom. “Coming, Hollister?”
The lawyer closed the door tightly behind him. “I’ll walk with you to your bedroom,” he half whispered. “It is later than I thought.”
Their footsteps made no noise on the heavy carpet and they traversed the corridor in silence. At the entrance to Curtis’ bedroom Hollister bade him a low voiced “good night.”
“Just a second.” Curtis stopped him as he was about to turn back. “Can I borrow a cigarette?”
“Certainly, take these,” and the lawyer thrust a package into his hand. “No, I don’t want any to-night,” and not waiting to hear Curtis’ words of thanks, Hollister hurried away.
The package had been thrust into his hand upside down, and to Curtis’ dismay the cigarettes scattered on the floor before he could catch them. Stooping down he groped around and after some difficulty located the majority of them. He was about to rise when he touched a string partly tucked out of sight under the edge of the strip of carpet which ran the length of all the corridors.
Getting to his feet, Curtis closed his door, then stooped over. The bit of string lay in the corridor directly under the door knob.
Curtis carried the string into his bedroom, closed the door, and making his way to a chair, sat down. First laying aside his cane, he lighted a cigarette, then held up the string and felt it carefully. He judged it to be about six inches in length, of ordinary twine, and one end was tied in a loop which had been neatly cut. Curtis held the two ends of the loop together. Its size proved that it could have been tied over his door knob.