ng the orchard wall to a rustic bench close under the bending boughs
of a great tree. Here she seated herself, and the tramp, leaning against
a tree a few paces from her, turned upon her a look of proper
supplication, and said:

"Now I think we are ready for observers."

"Quite. None of my servants saw you last night, and they are not likely
to come here in any case. We shall hardly be disturbed."

"You think so? May I ask how long you have been absent from the house?"

"About fifteen minutes, I should think."

"Well, in fifteen minutes more Mr. Belknap will be out looking at the
grounds, and for you."

Constance uttered a low exclamation of surprise.

"Ah!" said she, "you know that already. Pray tell me how? you are more
puzzling than a Chinese juggler."

"No jugglery about this, however," he replied, looking somewhat amused.
"I met Mr. Belknap, face to face at your very gate; I have seen him wear
that farmer disguise before, hence I recognized him."

"And he?"

"Did _not_ recognize me."

"Yet you know each other."

"Slightly, yes;" with a droll look in his eyes, of which Constance took
note.

"Now tell me, Mr. Bathurst, is Mr. Belknap a good detective?"

"Mr. Belknap is a smart man, Miss Wardour; he understands his business
thoroughly."

"He equivocates," thought Constance; aloud she said,

"And I need not fear to trust my business in his hands?"

"You need not fear," he replied, with odd emphasis. "And now," he
continued, "time presses; you received your package, Miss Wardour?"

Constance felt uneasy, this man seemed to find out everything; did he
know of what she had accused Doctor Heath?

"I received it an hour ago," she replied.

"Miss Wardour," asked he, fixing his eyes upon her face, "have you any
suspicion as to who these robbers were?"

For a moment Constance seemed half paralyzed with fright; then she
answered firmly,

"No, sir; not the shadow of a suspicion; but--you have."

"If I have, it is not more than a shadow--at present. Now, may I ask you
some questions, not just to the point but which, for my own reasons, I
wish answered."

She nodded assent.

"Can you tell me how many medical men you have in W----?"

Constance reflected; finally she said,

"I think there are seven, in all."

"Ah! all in practice?"

"Not all; two are retired, one is an invalid, doing but little."

"Thank you; and how many of them have assistants or students?"

"Only two, to my knowledge, Doct