keeping with his disguise, "and from Mr. Lamotte. I am the
officer chosen by him to investigate for you, Miss Wardour, and as much
time has been lost, I only wait your sanction and acceptance to begin
the work."

The soft voice and polished accent were in very marked contrast to his
dress and facial appearance. His manner of boorish discomfort had been
dropped when the door closed upon outside observation.

Mentally contrasting the ease and suavity of this new comer with the
cat-like movements and brusqueness of his predecessor, Constance, who
began to realize the ludicrousness of the situation, in fact seemed to
have some special private reason for finding it exceedingly absurd,
replied that Mr. Lamotte's chosen officer must of course be acceptable
to her, and that she only awaited his commands, if she could be of any
service to him.

"Then," said Detective Belknap, "I may as well look over the premises,
unless," turning upon her a searching look, "there are particulars
concerning the robbery which Mr. Lamotte was not in possession of."

Constance lowered her eyes, in seeming effort to remember if Mr. Lamotte
knew absolutely all; she thought of the chloroform, but the bottle had
not yet been returned to her. What should she do? Before telling this
part of the story she must have the bottle. Suddenly her woman's wit
came to her aid. Looking up with sweetest candor into the detective's
face, she said,

"I am the only one who possesses any information that was not known to
Mr. Lamotte. It is a mere trifle, but as it will take some time in the
telling, I will, if you please, order breakfast. You can scarcely have
breakfasted at this hour. I will show you the library now. Will you look
over that and the other rooms, and kindly excuse me for a short time?
Then join me at breakfast, and I will give you my version of the story."

She arose as if considering the matter decided beyond question, and
moved toward the door, and with a bow and a murmur of assent, Mr. Jerry
Belknap fell into his assumed shamble, and followed her to the library.
Leaving him there, Constance went out to order breakfast served in half
an hour, and to send Nelly with the key to her dressing room.

"Nelly must be taken into my confidence," mused she, as she went in
search of that damsel. "I can trust Nelly in spite of her Irishries, and
if Doctor Heath does not appear soon she must help me out in some way."

Nelly was not at her post, having been