ould like to know."

"Embarrassment? Humph! a man?"

"No, a woman; a lady, sir; one of the transients. I found out in a jiffy
all they could tell me about her."

"A woman! We didn't expect that. Where is she? Still in the lobby?"

"No, sir. She took the elevator while I was talking with the clerk."

"There's nothing in it. You mistook her expression."

"I don't think so. I had noticed her when she first came into the lobby.
She was talking to her daughter who was with her, and looked natural and
happy. But no sooner had she seen and read that bulletin, than the blood
shot up into her face and her manner became furtive and hasty. There was
no mistaking the difference, sir. Almost before I could point her out,
she had seized her daughter by the arm and hurried her towards the
elevator. I wanted to follow her, but you may prefer to make your own
inquiries. Her room is on the seventh floor, number 712, and her name is
Watkins. Mrs. Horace Watkins of Nashville."

Mr. Gryce nodded thoughtfully, but made no immediate effort to rise.

"Is that all you know about her?" he asked.

"Yes; this is the first time she has stopped at this hotel. She came
yesterday. Took a room indefinitely. Seems all right; but she did blush,
sir. I ever saw its beat in a young girl."

"Call the desk. Say that I'm to be told if Mrs. Watkins of Nashville
rings up during the next ten minutes. We'll give her that long to
take some action. If she fails to make any move, I'll make my own
approaches."

Sweetwater did as he was bid, then went back to his place in the lobby.

But he returned almost instantly.

"Mrs. Watkins has just telephoned down that she is going to--to leave,
sir."

"To leave?"

The old man struggled to his feet. "No. 712, do you say? Seven stories,"
he sighed. But as he turned with a hobble, he stopped. "There are
difficulties in the way of this interview," he remarked. "A blush is
not much to go upon. I'm afraid we shall have to resort to the shadow
business and that is your work, not mine."

But here the door opened and a boy brought in a line which had been left
at the desk. It related to the very matter then engaging them, and ran
thus:

"I see that information is desired as to whether any person was
seen to stoop to the lobby floor last night at or shortly after
the critical moment of Miss Challoner's fall in the half story
above. I can give such information. I was in the lobby at the
time, and in th