ry long in that tree."

"I have been 'very long' in that tree, I feel it," ruefully. "And I _am_
Neil Bathurst, detective; never was anybody else, and by the by, here is
this doctor; I heard him giving me a capital 'recommend;' now bid him
step up and identify me," and he laughs as if he had uttered a capital
joke.

Doctor Heath laughs now, as he comes closer and scrutinizes him by the
light from the drawing room.

"Oh, I recognize you by your voice, which you have not attempted to
disguise, and by your--a--assurance."

"I thought so!" rubbing his hands with a satisfied air.

"But that physiognomy, I never saw before."

The detective laughs.

"No, this is one of my business faces, and you, sir, are one of the few
who have known me simply as a man, without inference to my occupation; a
man like me may be expected to turn up anywhere, but you, sir, are the
last man I expected to see in this place."

"Nevertheless, I have been an inhabitant of W---- for a year; but enough
of me for the present. Mr. Bathurst, this lady is Miss Wardour, in whose
service you have been retained."

Miss Wardour extends a gracious, welcoming hand.

"Mr. Bathurst has heard me express my desire to know him," she says,
with a little ripple of laughter, "so no more need be said on the
subject. Mr. Bathurst you came as opportunely as a fairy godmother; and
now let us go in and take my aunt into our counsels."

She lifts the lace curtains and passes in; as she goes, Dr. Heath lays a
detaining hand on the detective's arm.

"Mr. Bathurst," he whispers; "in W---- I am Dr. Heath, from nowhere."

"I comprehend," significantly.

"Thank you;" then they too pass through the window, and the detective
goes through the ordeal of presentation to Aunt Honor.

Mrs. Aliston, being a thorough woman, who knows her perquisites, gets
through with the necessary amount of astonishment, ejaculations,
questionings, and expressions of delight; all things are overcome by
time, even a woman's volubility. And during the flow of her discourse
the detective is communing thus with his "inner consciousness:"

"So we have been retained by this handsome young lady? Well, that's
intelligence! and what does the old lady mean by supposing that Mr.
Lamotte has told me this and that? Who the deuce is Lamotte? Why the
deuce don't somebody ask me how I came to be perched in that tree? Do
they think it's the proper thing for detectives to tumble in among them
out of the t