He shrugged at Bill as he replaced the phone. "Up in four-fourteen? You had anything here or there this evening?"

"Not since about six. Ice to Miss Payne."

Patton left the door standing open and the light burning as he led the way back to the elevator. The operator stood in the open door waiting for them anxiously.

The buzzer let out a long peal as they stepped in and he said, "Up one floor."

"Somebody on eight getting mighty mad," said the operator. "Was he plumb dead. Chief?"

"Not even half," said Patton disgustedly. "Let eight keep on being mad."

They turned to the right this time they left the elevator, went about twenty paces and turned left into an intersecting corridor. A dim, red exit light glowed at the end of the corridor marking the fire-stairs.

Patton stopped in front of the fourth door on the left, stenciled 414. Light came through the transom above the door.

He knocked rather loudly. The transom was closed and they could hear nothing from inside the room.

Patton waited ten seconds and knocked again. Then he rattled the knob. A frightened female voice came faintly through the wood. "Who is it?"

"Hotel detective. Open up. Miss Payne."

"I don't- How dare you?" The voice was louder and more indignant. "Go away from my door."

He rattled the knob again and put his mouth close to the wood. "You don't want to cause a lot of attention, Miss Payne. Neither do I. Unlock the door or I'll use my pass-key."

He waited grimly, and after an interval of fifteen or twenty seconds the door opened reluctantly.

He pushed it and strode into a bedroom that was not quite as orderly as the one they had just visited on the floor below. Miss Payne was shoved back by his entrance, still clinging to the knob.

She was tall and slender, with aquiline features and a somewhat sharp nose, and with lightly graying hair piled atop her head. Her dark eyes flashed angrily at the hotel detective, and she clutched a dark blue, tailored dressing gown tightly about her in front.