ried Mallow, indignantly. "Juliet's mother!"

"But she may have something to do with the matter all the same.
However, you have been plain with me, and I will do all I can to help
you. The first thing is for us to follow up the clue of the portrait."

"Ah, yes! I had quite forgotten that," said Mallow, casting a look on
the photograph which lay near at hand. "Just pass it, will you."

Miles did so. "You say you recognize it," he said.

"I recognize my own face. I had several portraits done like this. I
think this one--" Mallow looked at the inscription which he read for
the first time, and his face grew pale.

"What is it?" asked Miles eagerly.

"I don't know," faltered the other uneasily.

"You recognize the inscription?"

"Yes, I certainly wrote that."

"It is quite a tender inscription," said Miles, his eyes on the
disturbed face of the other. "'With my dear love,' it reads."

Cuthbert laid down the portrait and nodded. "Yes! That is the
inscription," he said in low tones, and his eyes sought the carpet.

"You wrote that to a servant."

"What servant?"

"The new parlor-maid engaged by Miss Loach on the day of her
death--Susan Grant."

"I remember the name. I saw it in the papers."

"Do you know the girl well?" asked Jennings.

"I don't know her at all."

"Come now. A man doesn't give a portrait with such an inscription to
any unknown girl, nor to one he is not in love with."

"Jennings," cried Mallow indignantly, "how can you think--" his voice
died away and he clenched his hands.

"What am I to think then?" demanded the detective.

"What you like."

"That you love this Susan Grant?"

"I tell you I never set eyes on her," said Cuthbert violently.

"Then how does she come into possession of your portrait?" asked the
other. Then seeing that Mallow refused to speak, he laid a persuasive
hand on his shoulder. "You must speak out," he said quickly, "you have
told me so much you must tell me all. Matters can't stand as they are.
No," here Jennings looked straight into Mallow's eyes, "you did not
give that portrait to Susan Grant."

"I never said so."

"Don't be an ass, Mallow. You say you don't know the girl, therefore
you can hardly have given her the photograph. Now the inscription
shows that it was given to a woman you are in love with. You told me
when you introduced me to Miss Saxon that she was the only woman you
ever loved. Therefore you gave this portrait with its