“Excuse me, sir, did the person telephoning use my name?”

 

“I’ll give you the exact words I heard. ‘_Is that Dr. Sheppard? Parker, the

butler at Fernly, speaking. Will you please come at once, sir. Mr.

 

Ackroyd has been murdered._’”

 

Parker and I stared at each other blankly.

 

“A very wicked joke to play, sir,” he said at last, in a shocked tone. “Fancy

saying a thing like that.”

 

“Where is Mr. Ackroyd?” I asked suddenly.

 

“Still in the study, I fancy, sir. The ladies have gone to bed, and Major Blunt

and Mr. Raymond are in the billiard room.”

 

“I think I’ll just look in and see him for a minute,” I said. “I know he didn’t

want to be disturbed again, but this odd practical joke has made me uneasy. I’d

just like to satisfy myself that he’s all right.”

 

“Quite so, sir. It makes me feel quite uneasy myself. If you don’t object to my

accompanying you as far as the door, sir——?”