olerably sweet and so tantalizingly unapproachable. He made
a pretext of inspecting the works. She had a sugary suspicion of his
motive, and munched it with strange comfort.

What might have happened if Davidge had called on her in her then mood
and his could easily be guessed. But there are usually interventions.
The chaperon this time was Mr. Larrey, the operative of the Department
of Justice. He also had his secret.

He arrived at Davidge's home just as Davidge finished the composition
of his third lawn tie and came down-stairs to go. When he saw Larrey
he was a trifle curt with his visitor. Thinking him a workman and
probably an ambassador from one of the unions on the usual mission of
such ambassadors--more pay, less hours, or the discharge of some
unorganized laborer--Davidge said:

"Better come round to the office in the morning."

"I can't come to your office," said Larrey.

"Why not? It's open to everybody."

"Yeh, but I can't afford to be seen goin' there."

"Good Lord! Isn't it respectable enough for you?"

"Yeh, but--well, I think it's my duty to tip you off to a little slick
work that's goin' on in your establishment."

"Won't it keep till to-morrow evening?"

"Yeh--I guess so. It's only one of your stenographers."

This checked Davidge. By a quaint coincidence he was about to call on
one of his stenographers. Larrey amended his first statement:
"Leastways, I'll say she calls herself a stenographer. But that's only
her little camouflage. She's not on the level."

Davidge realized that the stenographer he was wooing was not on the
level. She was in the clouds. But his curiosity was piqued. He
motioned Larrey to a chair and took another.

"Shoot," he said.

"Well, it's this Miss Webling. Know anything about her?"

"Something," said Davidge. He was too much amused to be angry. He
thought that Larrey was another of those amateur detectives who
flattered Germany by crediting her with an omnipresence in evil. He
was a faithful reader of Ellis Parker Butler's famous sleuth, and he
grinned at Larrey. "Well, Mr. Philo Gubb, go on. Your story interests
me."

Larrey reddened. He spoke earnestly, explained who he was, showed his
credentials, and told what he knew of Miss Webling. He added what he
imagined Davidge knew.

Davidge found the whole thing too preposterous to be insolent. His
chivalry in Mamise's behalf was not aroused, because he thought that
the incident would make a good story to tell