ought
best to give, up to that time. Next, he visited another Agency, and
placed a man upon the track of Lucian Davlin.

Then he called a carriage and drove straight to the residence of old
Samuel Verage. It was early in the day for a professional visit or for
a visit of any kind. Nevertheless, Doctor Vaughan was admitted without
delay, to the presence of the master of the house.

Old Samuel Verage sat in his large, softly-cushioned armchair, in a
gorgeously beflowered dressing gown.

He was glowering over the dainty dishes which had lately contained a
bountiful breakfast. Evidently he fancied that the doctor had called
in anticipation of a serious morning attack, or to choke off his too
greedy appetite, for he chuckled maliciously as Clarence entered the
room, and greeted him with,

"Oh! You thought you were ahead of me this time, didn't you? I say,
now, _did_ you think I would be worse this morning?"

Clarence surveyed his patient with considerable amusement.

"You won't suffer from a hearty breakfast. It is the supper that you
must look out for. But my call this morning was, in part, to inquire
about a lady."

"About a lady! Of course, of course; go ahead; who is she?"

"That's precisely what I want to know. The fact is, my business is
rather peculiar, and delicate."

The old man rubbed his hands gleefully. "Good! very good! A mystery
about a woman! Come out with it; don't be backward."

"Very well; the woman that I want to inquire about has been known as
Cora Weston."

Old Verage fairly bounced out of his seat as he yelled: "Cora Weston!
Where is she? What do you know about her?"

"Not quite enough, or I should not have ventured to inquire of you,"
said Clarence, calmly.

Old Verage tumbled into his chair again. "Then you don't know where
she is?" sharply.

"What could you do if I put her in your power?"

"Lock her up in jail, if I wanted to," fiercely.

Little by little Clarence Vaughan extracted from the old man the
details of the plausible scheme by which Davlin and Cora had succeeded
in transferring a very considerable amount of cash from his pockets to
their own. He felt elated at the result of this interview. It placed a
weapon in his hands that might be wielded with telling effect when
time served.

"Well, you may be able to get even with her yet," he said, rising to
go, after Verage had concluded his tirade; "many thanks for giving me
some information. I may be able to return the compl