side from his hat he was dressed
with elaborate care. He wore gray spats, and his clothes were
obviously well tailored, and his necktie was done in a bow. On the
whole he was a very cool, comfortable looking chap. The handkerchief,
which protruded from his breast pocket and showed an edging of red,
was a trifle noisy; and the soft gray hat was hardly in keeping, but,
on the whole, he was a dashing-looking chap. The bagging trousers
and the blunt-toed shoes of his companion were to Robert Macklin a
distinct shock. He centered all of his attention instantly on the
younger of his two visitors.

"You're Mr. Macklin, I guess," said the handsome man.

"I am," said Macklin, and, stepping back from his door, he invited
them in with a sweeping gesture.

There were only two chairs, but the younger of the strangers
immediately made himself comfortable on the bed.

"My name's Doone," he said, "and this is Mr. William Gregg. We think
that you have some information which we can use. Mind if we fire a few
questions?"

"Certainly not," said Robert Macklin. At the same time he began to arm
himself with caution. One could never tell.

"Matter of fact," went on Ronicky smoothly, lighting a tailor-made
cigarette, while his companion rolled one of his own making, "we are
looking for a lady who was on one of your trains. We think you may
possibly remember her. Here's the picture."

And, as he passed the snapshot to the Pullman conductor, he went on
with the details of the date and the number of the train.

Robert Macklin in the meantime studied the picture carefully. He had a
keen eye for faces, but when it came to pretty faces his memory was a
veritable lion. He had talked a few moments with this very girl, and
she had smiled at him. The memory made Robert Macklin's lips twitch
just a trifle, and Ronicky Doone saw it.

Presently the dignitary returned the picture and raised his head from
thought. "It is vaguely behind my mind, something about this lady," he
said. "But I'm sorry to say, gentlemen, I really don't know you and--"

"Why, don't you know us!" broke in Bill Gregg. "Ain't my partner here
just introduced us?"

"Exactly," said Robert Macklin. And his opinion of the two sank a full
hundred points. Such grammar proclaimed a ruffian.

"You don't get his drift," Ronicky was explaining to his companion. "I
introduced us, but he doesn't know who I am. We should have brought
along a letter of introduction." He turned to Mackl