ater--the darling of
all our hearts), saying that he must not be so egotistical as to
think that the news of his illness had gone beyond Derby, that he soon
recovered his spirits and became a very promising convalescent. That
is all I know about the matter; little more, I take it, than you know
yourself."

Sweetwater nodded; he had expected nothing from the doctor, and was not
disappointed at his failure. There were two strings to his bow, and the
one proving valueless, he proceeded to test the other.

"You have mentioned Miss Scott, as the confidante--and only confidante
of this unhappy pair," said he. "Would it be possible--can you make it
possible for me to see her?"

It was a daring proposition; he understood this at once from the
doctor's expression; and, fearing a hasty rebuff, he proceeded to
supplement his request with a few added arguments, urged with such
unexpected address and show of reason that Dr. Fenton's aspect visibly
softened and in the end he found himself ready to promise that he would
do what he could to secure his visitor the interview he desired if he
would come to the house the next day at the time of his own morning
visit.

This was as much as the young detective could expect, and having
expressed his thanks, he took his leave in anything but a discontented
frame of mind. With so powerful an advocate as the doctor, he felt
confident that he should soon be able to conquer this young girl's
reticence and learn all that was to be learned from any one but Mr.
Brotherson himself. In the time which must elapse between that happy
hour and the present, he would circulate and learn what he could about
the prospective manager. But he soon found that he could not enter the
Works without a permit, and this he was hardly in a position to demand;
so he strolled about the village instead, and later wandered away into
the forest.

Struck by the inviting aspect of a narrow and little used road opening
from the highway shortly above the house where his interests were just
then centred, he strolled into the heart of the spring woods till he
came to a depression where a surprise awaited him, in the shape of a
peculiar structure rising from its midst where it just fitted, or so
nearly fitted that one could hardly walk about it without brushing the
surrounding tree trunks. Of an oval shape, with its door facing the
approach, it nestled there, a wonder to the eye and the occasion of
considerable speculation to