eply. Suddenly a sharp exclamation broke from her lips,
and Olive turned towards her a look of surprised inquiry. But Madeline
was clasping and unclasping her hands nervously, with eyelashes
lowered, and brow knitted in a frown.

"Olive," she said, after a long cogitation, "you have put into my
hands another thread, a very valuable one. Don't ask me any questions
now; I want to get my ideas in shape."

Olive's face wore an anxious look, but she had learned the lesson of
patient waiting, so she quietly acquiesced, and then a long silence
fell between them.

Madeline resumed the conversation, or rather recommenced it. She made
no further mention of that part of the subject nearest the heart of
Olive Girard. She made inquiries as to affairs and recent events at
the village, talked of Claire, and finally said:

"Olive, I want you to go out with me during the day, and perhaps we
had better go early. I must return to Bellair by to-morrow morning's
train, you know."

"Yes; and I am sorry that you stay with us such a very short time.
Where do you intend going, Madeline?"

"To a detective,--that is, if you will repeat your generous offer,
which I so cavalierly declined not long ago, to be my banker for an
indefinite time."

"Gladly, dear child; now you are beginning to be sensible. But the
detective,--may I venture to inquire?" with assumed hesitation.

"You may," laughed Madeline. "And don't give me credit for all the
ingenuity. True, I have racked my poor feminine brain and feminine
instinct, coupled with the knowledge obtained by some keen experience
with Treachery, Despair, and Hate. These grim but very efficient
instructors have aided me materially, simple, inexperienced girl as I
was so recently--or so long ago, as it seems to me. And good old Aunt
Hagar, who has been in this woful world many years--years full of
vicissitudes and sharp life-lessons--is my counsellor and adviser. She
aids me greatly with her shrewdness, and knowledge of the world and
the folk in it. So we have discussed this point together and concluded
that, in order to leave no loopholes open in our nice little net, we
had better have the movements of Mr. Lucian Davlin closely watched
while he is in the city."

"To discover--"

"Who he calls upon, and what manner of man he will choose to assume
the _role_ of 'physician from Europe,' etc. Without putting the full
facts of the case into the hands of the officer, we will arrange to
know all abo