Miles, you
said," Dundee interrupted.
"Don't you remember?--I told you Johnny had taken Peter's place at our
table after Peter refused to breathe the same air as Dexter Sprague,"
Penny reminded him. "Ralph and I, Lois and Johnny were playing together,
and just at the time I became dummy, Sprague became dummy at the other
table. He rose, saying he had to go telephone for a taxi, and passed
from the porch into the living room--"
"Where is the telephone?"
"The one the guests use is on a table in the hall closet, where we put
our things," Penny explained. "You can shut the door and hold a
perfectly private conversation.... Well, _we never saw Dexter Sprague
again_!"
"Good Lord! Another bridge dummy murdered!" Dundee groaned. "At least
the newspapers will be happy!... Didn't anyone go to look for him after
the hand was played?"
"Not straight off," Penny answered, with an obvious effort to remember
clearly every detail. "Let's see--Oh, yes! That hand was played out
before Ralph had finished playing his, at our table, so I was free to
pay attention to the other table. Flora said that since they couldn't
play another hand until Dexter came back, she thought she'd better hunt
up Karen, who hadn't come back yet."
"How long was Mrs.
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