then he pressed the bell call, and Fuller presented himself.

"I want you to take up the investigation of Hume and Allan Morris
where you left off the other day. Put Burgess, O'Neill and any others
that you desire on the matter. I want _complete_ information, and I
want it _quickly_."

"Yes, sir," answered Fuller.

"Follow up anything that promises results concerning Morris' father.
Especially find out if he ever knew Hume. Get every fact that can be
gathered about the latter. You, or rather Burgess, hinted in the
preliminary report that it was thought that he had at one time lived
abroad. If it is possible, establish that fact. In any event, go into
his history as deeply as you can."

"Very well," said Fuller, with the easy manner of a person accustomed
to carrying out difficult orders.

As the young man went out at one door, Stumph knocked upon another;
then Miss Edyth Vale, very pale, but entirely composed, was shown into
the room.

CHAPTER IX

MISS VALE TELLS WHAT SHE KNOWS

Ashton-Kirk arose, kicked aside the litter of newspapers, and placed a
chair for his visitor.

"Your man told me that I was expected," she said. "How did you know
that I would come this morning?"

"I knew that you'd be sure to read the newspapers," said he. "And I
was pretty confident as to the effect the _Star's_ account would
have."

She sat down quietly and for a few moments did not speak. A slight
trembling of the lower lip was the only indication of the strain under
which she was laboring. Finally she said:

"I am very sorry that I deceived you yesterday morning."

He waved his hand lightly.

"I was not deceived; so there was no harm done," he explained.

She began tugging nervously at her gloves, much as she had done a few
mornings before. Her face was still composed; but deep in her
beautiful eyes was an expression of fear.

"I might have known that I could not do it," she said. "But the
impulse came to me to deny everything as the easiest and safest way
out of it all; and I obeyed it. I was not calm enough to consider the
possible harm that it might do. However," and her firm voice broke a
little, "I suppose the newspapers would have ferreted out the facts in
any event."

"They are very keen in the pursuit of anything that promises a good
story," agreed the investigator. "But if you had given me the facts as
you intended doing when you called me on the 'phone yesterday morning,
I'd have had twenty-four ho