now he proposed at the dance?"

"Yes, I understood that. Poor Kelson; I am sorry for him, and for them
both. It is an ominous beginning of their betrothal."

"It is horrible," Gifford observed sympathetically. "Although one tries
to think there is really nothing in it for them to be concerned about."

The dance was an enjoyable affair, and, at any rate for the time,
dispersed the depression which had hung over the party from Wynford.
Gifford had engaged Miss Morriston for two waltzes, and after a turn or
two in the second his partner said she felt tired and suggested they
should sit out the rest of it. Accordingly they strolled off to an
adjoining room and made themselves comfortable in a retired corner,
Gifford, nothing loath to have a quiet chat with the handsome girl whose
self-possessed manner with its suggestion of underlying strength of
feeling was beginning to fascinate and intrigue his imagination.

"It is rather pleasant," she said a little wearily, "to get away from
the atmosphere of mystery and police investigation we have been living
in at home."

"Which I hope and believe will very soon be over," Gifford responded
cheeringly.

Miss Morriston glanced at him curiously. "You believe that?" she returned
almost sharply. "How can you think so? It seems to me that with little
apparent likelihood of clearing up the mystery, the affair may drag on
for weeks."

Gifford answered with a reassuring smile. "Hardly that. If the police
can make nothing of it, and they seem to be quite nonplussed, they will
have to give up their investigations and fall back on their first theory
of suicide."

Leaning back and watching his companion's face in profile as she sat
forward, he could see that his suggestion was by no means convincing.

"I wish I could take your view, Mr. Gifford," she returned, with the
suggestion of a bitter smile. "I dare say if the authorities were left to
themselves they might give up. But you forget a very potent factor in the
tiresome business, the brother, Mr. Gervase Henshaw; he will keep them up
to the work of investigation, will he not?"

"Up to a certain point, and one can scarcely blame him. But even then,
the police are not likely to continue working on his theories when they
lead to no result."

"No?" Miss Morriston replied in an unconvinced tone. "But he is--" she
turned to him. "Tell me your candid opinion of this Mr. Gervase Henshaw.
Is he very--"

"Objectionable?" Gifford supplied