cannot say, Mr. Ashton-Kirk, that I altogether follow you."

He smiled, but the disapproving wrinkle still showed between his eyes.

"I see that you are still determined to hold to your attitude," he
said. "I am sorry, of course, but then one is called upon at times to
do as one thinks best, and I suppose that is what you are doing." He
turned toward the door, and she arose and touched the bell. "Good-by."

"Good-by," she returned.

He stood for a moment in the doorway regarding her with mingled
annoyance and admiration. As he caught the steps of the approaching
servant in the hall, he said:

"Possibly I can save you some little trouble. You need not call at the
Rangnow Apartments. Up to last night, Allan Morris had not notified
Mr. Tobin as to his new hiding-place. However, if you feel that you
_must_ see him, you can call at my place at this hour on the day after
to-morrow. I am not sure, of course, but it occurs to me that he will
be there."

CHAPTER XXIII

THE SECRET OF THE PORTRAIT

The morning papers had all announced the fact that the detail of
police would that day be withdrawn from the scene of the murder in
Christie Place. With them it had been a mere matter-of-fact news item,
but with the evening sheets it was different. They had had time to
digest the matter, and their view of the order was one of surprise.
Two or three allowed this feeling to expand itself into headlines of
some size; a few also commented on the situation editorially.

Superintendent Weagle had been interviewed. He stated that he could
not be expected to maintain a detail at 478 indefinitely; even with
the police withdrawn from within, so he maintained, the place would be
as effectually guarded as were other buildings. What more was
required?

Ashton-Kirk read all this with some satisfaction in the late
afternoon.

"They have given the thing even more publicity than I had hoped for,"
he said, as he helped Pendleton in the details of a rough-looking
costume which that worthy was donning. "It must be a bad day for
news, and they have plenty of space. At any rate, anyone who is at all
interested in the fact, is now aware that after six o'clock this
evening, 478 Christie Place will be unguarded, except for the regular
patrolman. Of course," with a glance at Pendleton and another in a
mirror at himself, "if a brace of rough-looking characters are hidden
away within, there will only be a few who know it."

He opened a dr