e's supposed to be dangerously ill. Go and call on her this
afternoon. Put on your best clothes and your Paris manners. You ought to
be able to get something out of a child from the backwoods. If you talk
to her cleverly you can at least find out whether Phineas is playing the
game or not."

Littleson nodded.

"I'll call directly after lunch," he said. "Perhaps I could get her to
come out for a ride. I'll try, anyhow, and ring you fellows up
afterwards at the club."

"Don't bother her any more about the paper," Weiss said. "She'll get
suspicious at once if you do. Try and make friends with her. This thing
may drag on for a week or so."

Littleson nodded and left them soon afterwards. He went to his rooms,
changed into calling attire, and before four o'clock his automobile was
outside the mansion in Fifth Avenue, and he himself waiting in the
drawing-room for Virginia. She came to him with very little delay, and
welcomed him quite naturally.

"I am afraid," he said, "that you must look upon callers as rather a
nuisance just now, but we are all very anxious about your uncle, and I
thought I would like to hear something more than that little bulletin
outside tells us."

She motioned him to sit down.

"You are very kind," she said. "My uncle is really about the same. The
doctor thinks he may be able to get up in about a week."

"Is there any--specific disease?" he asked, hesitatingly.

"I think not," she answered. "I don't understand all that the doctor
says. It seems to me that all you men here lead such strenuous lives
that you have no time to be ill. You simply wait until you collapse."

"I'm afraid that's true, Miss Longworth," he said, "and if you will
forgive my saying so, I fancy you have been doing a little too much
yourself, worrying and looking after your uncle. Can't I tempt you out
for a little way in my automobile? It's a delightful afternoon."

She shook her head.

"You are very kind," she said, "but I seem to be the only person for
whom my uncle asks sometimes, and he is awake just now. I should not
like to be away."

"He is conscious, then?" Littleson asked.

"Perfectly," she answered.

"I suppose it is quite useless asking to see him?"

"Quite. The doctor would never allow it. He has to be kept absolutely
quiet, and free from excitement,"

"I hope," he said, "that he did not hear anything of the attempted
burglary the other night?"

Virginia smiled very faintly, and her dark eyes res