, for shock it surely was, seemed brief, for
almost instantly Josie completed her broken speech:

"When you know them better you'll feel quite at home in their society.
Hello, Nan."

"What! Josie O'Gorman? You here?" with well-affected surprise.

"You know it. But how came _you_ here, Nan? Has Daddy sent you to help
me?"

"Help you! In what way?"

"Help me enjoy country life," said Josie, coloring at her slip.

"Why, I'm on a vacation. You don't seem to understand. I'm--Ingua's
mother."

Josie's self-control wasn't proof against this second shock. Her blue
eyes stared amazed. With a low exclamation she stood up and faced the
woman.

"Ingua's mother! You, Nan?"

"Just so," with a quiet smile.

"Then you ought to be ashamed of yourself," declared Josie with
righteous indignation. "You're one of the best paid women in the
Department, and you've left your poor child here to starve and slave
for a wretched old--," she paused.

"Well, what is he?" asked Nan with tantalizing gentleness.

"An old skinflint, at the least. Shame on you, Nan! Ingua is a dear
little girl, and you--you're an unnatural mother. Why, I never
suspected you were even married."

"I'm a widow, Josie."

"And Old Swallowtail is your father? How strange. But--why did you come
here just now?" with sudden suspicion.

"I've just finished the Hillyard case and they gave me a vacation. So I
came here to see my little girl. I didn't know she was being neglected,
Josie. I shall take better care of her after this. My visit to Cragg's
Crossing is perfectly natural, for I was born here. But you? What are
you up to, Josie?"

"I'm visiting Mary Louise Burrows."

"With what object?"

A detective must be quick-witted. Josie's brain was working with
lightning-like rapidity. In a few brief seconds she comprehended that
if Nan was Old Swallowtail's daughter, home on a vacation, she must not
be allowed to know that Josie was conducting a case against her father.
Otherwise she might interfere and spoil everything. She knew Nan of old
and respected her keen intelligence. Once, when they had been pitted
against each other, Josie had won; but she was not sure she could
defeat Nan a second time. Therefore it was imperative that old Cragg's
daughter remain in ignorance of the fact that Josie was awaiting
reinforcements from Washington in order to arrest Nan's father as a
counterfeiter. Also Josie realized instantly that Ingua was likely to
tell her mother a