. Perhaps because it was so terse; perhaps because it was so
characteristic.

Dear Mr. Gryce:

I do not presume to dictate or even to offer a suggestion to the
New York police, but have you inquired of the postman in a certain
district whether he can recall the postmark on any of the letters
he delivered to Mr. Adams?

A. B.

His, on the contrary, was perused with a frown by his exacting colleague
in Gramercy Park. The reason is obvious.

Dear Miss Butterworth:

Suggestions are always in order, and even dictation can be endured
from you. The postman delivers too many letters on that block to
concern himself with postmarks. Sorry to close another
thoroughfare.

E. G.

Meanwhile, the anxiety of both was great; that of Mr. Gryce excessive.
He was consequently much relieved when, on the third morning, he found
Sweetwater awaiting him at the office, with a satisfied smile lighting
up his plain features. He had reserved his story for his special patron,
and as soon as they were closeted together he turned with beaming eyes
toward the old detective, crying:

"News, sir; good news! I have found them; I have found them both, and by
such a happy stroke! It was a blind trail, but when the florist said
that those petals might have fallen from a bride rose--well, sir, I know
that any woman can carry bride roses, but when I remembered that the
clothes of her companion looked as though they had just come from the
tailor's, and that she wore gray and white--why, it gave me an idea, and
I began my search after this unknown pair at the Bureau of Vital
Statistics."

"Brilliant!" ejaculated the old detective. "That is, if the thing
worked."

"And it did, sir; it did. I may have been born under a lucky star,
probably was, but once started on this line of search, I went straight
to the end. Shall I tell you how? Hunting through the list of such
persons as had been married within the city limits during the last two
weeks, I came upon the name of one Eva Poindexter. Eva! that was a name
well-known in the house on ---- Street. I decided to follow up this
Eva."

"A wise conclusion! And how did you set about it?"

"Why, I went directly to the clergyman who had performed the ceremony.
He was a kind and affable dominie, sir, and I had no trouble in talking
to him."

"And you described the bride?"

"No, I led the conversation so that he described her."

"Good; and wh