rrow passageway, from which another door evidently
opened into the room beyond. Stealthily he passed on, and pressing his
ear against a wide crack, was pleased to find that he could easily
hear what was said by the two in the next room. The conversation
seemed to have reached the very point of greatest interest to him. The
woman said:

"I wish to know exactly your connection with this Mabel Sloane."

"So do the police," replied the Doctor, succinctly.

"But I am not the police," came next in petulant tones.

"Exactly! And not being the police you are out of your province, when
investigating a matter supposed to be criminal." Barnes learned two
things: first that the Doctor would not lose his temper, and therefore
would not be likely to betray himself by revealing anything beyond
what his companion might already know; and second, that she knew
little as to his relation with Mabel Sloane. This was not very
promising, yet he still hoped that something might transpire, which
would repay all the trouble that he had taken. The woman spoke again
quickly.

"Then you are not going to explain this thing to me?"

"Certainly not, since you have not the right to question me."

"I have not the right? I, whom you expect to marry? I have not the
right to investigate your relations with other women?"

"Not with one who is dead!"

"Dead or alive, I must know what this Mabel Sloane was to you, or
else----" She hesitated.

"Or else?" queried the Doctor, without altering his tone.

"Or else I will not marry you."

"Oh! Yes, you will!" replied the Doctor, with such a tone of certainty
that his companion became exasperated and stamped her feet as she
replied in anger:

"I will not! I will not! I will not!" Then, as though her asseveration
had slightly mollified her, she added: "Or if I do----" and, then
paused.

"Continue!" exclaimed the Doctor, still calm. "You pause at a most
interesting period. Or if you do----"

"Or if I do," wrathfully rejoined the woman--"I'll make your whole
life a burden to you!"

"No, my wife that is to be, you will not even do that. Perhaps you
might try, but I should not permit you to succeed in any such an
undertaking. No, my dear friend, you and I are going to be a model
couple, provided----"

"Provided what?"

"That you curb your curiosity as to things that do not concern you."

"But this does concern me."

"As I have intimated already, Mabel Sloane being dead, you can have no
interes