Chapter 5
Baumgarten waited until the sound of the trap wheels had passed beyond his hearing, closed the half-open door through which he had watched the departure, and went swiftly upstairs to Madame Stahm. Madame was alone; she had dismissed the nurse, and was half sitting, half reclining in her big throne chair. She saw something in the man's face that brought her bolt upright.
"What is wrong?" she asked.
"Did you hear it?" His black eyebrows made an inquiring arch. "If you did not, our doctor did."
"Lamonte?"
"The ventilator must have been left open. I will go and see. Tomorrow we shall have the police here, and that will be extremely awkward."
She was galvanized to life by the words and came instantly to her feet.
"The police?" she said shrilly. "You are mad! And if they come it
