y attitude. "I
never have spoken to him nor he to me, but I am the friend of justice,
and I must declare that there was a note of surprise in the emotion he
showed at sight of his wife's hat, that was far too natural to be
assumed."

The detective failed to be impressed. I might have expected this,
knowing his sex and the reliance such a man is apt to place upon his own
powers.

"Acting, ma'am, acting!" was his laconic comment. "A very uncommon
character, that of Mr. Howard Van Burnam. I do not think you do it full
justice."

"Perhaps not, but see that you don't slight mine. I do not expect you to
heed these suggestions any more than you did those I offered you in
connection with Mrs. Boppert, the scrub-woman; but my conscience is
eased by my communication, and that is much to a solitary woman like
myself who is obliged to spend many a long hour alone with no other
companion."

"Something has been accomplished, then, by this delay," he observed.
Then, as if ashamed of this momentary display of irritation, he added in
the genial tones more natural to him: "I don't blame you for your good
opinion of this interesting, but by no means reliable, young man, Miss
Butterworth. A woman's kind heart stands in the way of her proper
judgment of criminals."

"You will not find its instincts fail even if you do its judgment."

His bow was as full of politeness as it was lacking in conviction.

"I hope you won't let your instincts lead you into any unnecessary
detective work," he quietly suggested.

"That I cannot promise. If you arrest Howard Van Burnam for murder, I
may be tempted to meddle with matters which don't concern me."

An amused smile broke through his simulated seriousness.

"Pray accept my congratulations, then, in advance, ma'am. My health has
been such that I have long anticipated giving up my profession; but if I
am to have such assistants as you in my work, I shall be inclined to
remain in it some time longer."

"When a man as busy as you stops to indulge in sarcasm, he is in more or
less good spirits. Such a condition, I am told, only prevails with
detectives when they have come to a positive conclusion concerning the
case they are engaged upon."

"I see you already understand the members of your future profession."

"As much as is necessary at this juncture," I retorted. Then seeing him
about to repeat his bow, I added sharply: "You need not trouble yourself
to show me too much politeness. If I med