e on
the side of the law this time, at any rate."

"I will," he answered, after a moment's hesitation. "I will call for you
at eleven o'clock to-night."

He rose and closed his desk emphatically.

"You are going out?" she asked.

"I am going to see Miss Letty Shaw," he answered.

He took a taxicab to the flats, and found a handful of curious people
still gazing up at the third floor. The parlourmaid who answered his
summons was absolutely certain that Miss Shaw would not see him. He
persuaded her, after some difficulty, to take in his letter while he
waited in the hall. When she returned, she showed him into a small
sitting room and pulled down the blinds.

"Miss Shaw will see you, sir, for a few minutes," she announced, in
a subdued tone. "Poor dear young lady," she continued, "she has been
crying her eyes out all the morning."

"No wonder," Peter Ruff said, sympathetically. "It's a terrible
business, this!"

"One of the nicest young men as ever walked," the girl declared, firmly.
"As for that brute, he deserved all he's got, and more!"

Peter Ruff was left alone for nearly a quarter of an hour. Then the door
was softly opened and Letty Shaw entered. There was no doubt whatever
about her suffering. Ruff, who had seen her only lately at the theatre,
was shocked. Under her eyes were blacker lines than her pencil had
ever traced. Not only was she ghastly pale, but her face seemed wan and
shrunken. She spoke to him the moment she entered, leaning with on hand
upon the sideboard.

"Lady Mary writes that you want to help us," she said. "How can you? How
is it possible?"

Even her voice had gone. She spoke hoarsely, and as though short of
breath. Her eyes searched his face feverishly. It seemed cruelty not to
answer her at once, and Peter Ruff was not a cruel man. Nevertheless, he
remained silent, and it seemed to her that his eyes were like points of
fire upon her face.

"What is the matter?" she cried, with breaking voice. "What have you
come for? Why don't you speak to me?"

"Madam," Peter Ruff said, "I should like to help you, and I will do what
I can. But in order that I may do so, it is necessary that you should
answer me two questions--truthfully!"

Her eyes grew wider. It was the face of a terrified child.

"Why not?" she exclaimed. "What have I to conceal?"

Peter Ruff's expression never changed. There was nothing about him,
as he stood there with his hands behind him, his head thrown a little
f