e real criminal, and that I did
not believe it could be so difficult as Littell seemed to judge.

He shook his head. "It will be difficult, I have no doubt," he said,
"but still I think perhaps I can do it."

"Tell me your plans," I urged, my interest aroused.

He hesitated and seemed embarrassed. "I think, if you don't mind, I
would rather you would leave it all to me just now," he said at length.

I was too surprised to make any immediate reply. This man, whom
heretofore I had found subservient to my every suggestion, was now
prepared apparently to assume the leadership and relegate me to the
background. "But," I said, when I had recovered from my astonishment,
"do you expect me to abandon the case altogether?"

"Not at all," he hastened to explain; "I only wish you to leave the work
of the next few days to me. It is peculiarly in my line, and besides I
do not think you would find it agreeable. Leave it to me," he urged,
"and I will report all results to you as soon as possible, and after
that I will be guided entirely by you in the matter."

He was evidently in earnest and so serious over it that I offered no
further objection, though I was somewhat humiliated at what I deemed his
lack of confidence in me. When he had left me, I puzzled over his
strange conduct, but as I could make nothing of it wisely determined to
resign myself to the inevitable and make the most of the respite this
forced inaction would grant me.

After I had despatched notes to Van Bult and Davis, asking them to
dinner, and had attended to some routine duties, I made the first use of
my freedom by leaving my office and devoting the afternoon to a long
horse-back ride. It was a glorious winter's day, cold and sparkling, and
full of sunshine, and I drew in deep lungs full of the bracing air as I
directed my way leisurely towards the Park.

Once clear of the stones, I gave the horse his head and with an eager
bound he had stretched out into a gallop. As we went speeding along
through the country for mile after mile, it seemed to me that I had
never felt anything so fine as this gallop. After my long siege of worry
and work it was like a tonic to my mind and body and with every stride
of the horse I seemed to get stronger and brighter.

I could feel the blood coursing through my veins, while my mental
faculties were stirred into renewed vigor, and I began to realize into
what a rut I had gotten and how morbid had become my state of mind, and