ts. I'm cleverer than you
give me credit for."

The young man leaned half over the chair as he whispered:

"I wouldn't dare tell you how clever I think you."

"Why?"

"Because--of my own peace of mind."

Helen broke in on the conversation. Addressing the lawyer, she said:

"Now Kenneth is away, we shall expect you to come to the house very
often."

The lawyer bowed.

"It's always a pleasure to call."

"Be sure to come next Sunday evening. I expect some friends. We'll
have some music."

"May I bring someone?"

"Certainly. Any friend of yours is welcome."

"Who is it?" asked Ray impertinently. "Male or female?"

"I believe it's a male," smiled the lawyer. "It looks like a male and
talks like one." More seriously he went on: "His name is Dick
Reynolds. He has just passed his bar examination and is practicing
temporarily in my office. His people live out West and being alone
here, he is glad enough to have somewhere to go."

"Bring him by all means," exclaimed Ray. "Has he any
accomplishments--apart from being a male?"

"Yes--he plays the piano indifferently, and tennis admirably. He swims
like a fish, and can run like a hare. But his best accomplishment is a
gift that one seldom sees developed----"

"What is that?" exclaimed both his listeners at once.

"He is a born detective--a regular Sherlock Holmes in real life. I
have tested him several times with extraordinary results. I have given
him the most difficult cases to unravel. He has found the solution in
every one."

Ray clapped her hands.

"Oh, I love that," she said. "Don't forget to invite him. Only the
trouble is we have nothing to unravel."

"I have a skein of silk," interrupted Helen facetiously.

Suddenly the lawyer stopped speaking and quickly sitting up in his
chair stared intently in the distance at a face in the crowd which had
caught his eye.

"Who is it?" demanded Ray, her woman's jealousy aroused.

"I may be mistaken," he replied, "but I thought I saw your friend
Signor Keralio."

Helen looked up quickly.

"My friend?" she exclaimed. "He's no friend of mine. I wonder what
he's doing here. He can't be sailing."

"He's up to no good, I wager that," growled the lawyer.

"You don't like him either, do you?" smiled Ray.

"Does anyone?" he answered. "I don't see how Kenneth can have anything
to do with such a cheap type of adventurer."

Helen hastened to explain.

"Ken doesn't care for him at all, o