said, just as though she were in
the habit of receiving young men at eleven in the morning. "Of course
I want to know you better. James thinks so much of you."

"And Jack," added Lane, smilingly.

"Oh, yes. Jack, too," she said, and laughed outright when their eyes
met.

"I'm sure Jack's very fond of me. He can't help showing it
occasionally."

"Jack's--impulsive," she explained. "But he's amenable to influence."

"Of the right sort. I'm sure he would be."

He found himself the object of a piquant, amused scrutiny under her
long lashes. It came to him that this Paris-gowned, long-limbed young
sylph was more than willing to let him become intrigued by her charms.
But Kirby Lane had not called so early in the day to fall in love.

"I came to see you, Miss Harriman, about the case," he said. "My good
name is involved. I must clear it. I want you to help me."

He saw a pulse of excitement flutter in her throat. It seemed to him
that her eyes grew darker, as though some shadow of dread had fallen
over them. The provocative smile vanished.

"How can _I_ help you?" she asked.

"If you would answer a few questions--"

"What questions?" All the softness had gone from her voice. It had
become tense and sharp.

"Personal ones. About you and my uncle. You were engaged to him, were
you not?"

"Yes."

"There wasn't any quarrel between you recently, was there?"

A flash of apprehension filled her eyes. Then, resolutely, she
banished fear and called to her aid hauteur.

"There was not, though I quite fail to see how this can concern you,
Mr. Lane."

"I don't want to distress you," he said gently, "Just now that question
must seem to you a brutal one. Believe me, I don't want to hurt you."

Her eyes softened, grew wistful and appealing. "I'm sure you don't.
You couldn't. It's all so--so dreadful to think about." There was a
little catch in her throat as the voice broke. "Let's talk of
something more cheerful. I want to forget it all."

"I'm sure you do. We all want to do that. The surest way to get it
out of our minds is to solve the mystery and find out who is guilty.
That's why I want you to tell me a few things to clear up my mind."

"But I don't know anything about it--nothing at all. Why should you
come to me?"

"When did you last see my uncle alive?"

"What a dreadful question! It was--let me think--in the afternoon--the
day before--"

"And you parted from him on the best o