dear."

The tenderness of his voice thrilled her. She longed to grasp his
hand--to tell him of the love which filled her heart. Suddenly he spoke,
quickly, warningly. "Be careful," he said. "We are being watched. That
man Mayer is observing us with an opera glass, from a window of the
house. Don't look at me that way. I shall leave you now. Let us meet
during the afternoon." He rose, bowed to her carelessly, and strolled
back toward the house, leaving her disconsolate upon the bench.

He entered the hall aimlessly, not knowing what to do next. The
situation was one which taxed his resources to the utmost. No case that
he had encountered in his whole experience offered the slightest
suggestion whereby he might hope to effect a solution of his present
difficulties. Courage, resource, ingenuity seemed alike useless. He was
helpless.

Dr. Hartmann appeared in the hall as he entered it. "Come in, Mr.
Duvall," he said, holding open the door of the office. "Suppose we have
a little chat."

For a moment the detective hesitated, then decided to meet the doctor's
good nature in kind. "By all means," he replied. "You owe me some
explanation of your conduct in keeping me here."

"Keeping you here, Mr. Duvall? Surely you are mistaken. The gate is
open." He waved his hand toward the lawn.

"I have no desire to run away, like a criminal, Dr. Hartmann. When I go,
I shall go in a dignified way, and take my belongings with me."

"Your belongings!" The doctor seemed impressed with the remark. "So you
have the snuff box hidden somewhere among them, have you?"

Duvall began a hasty denial, but the doctor cut him short. "Absurd, Mr.
Duvall," he exclaimed. "You would leave here quickly enough, if you
could take the box with you. But where you have concealed it, I confess
I cannot imagine. I have examined your things with the utmost care. It
is not among them, of that I am certain. I gave you your liberty this
morning, to see whether or not you would attempt to escape. Had you done
so I should have known that the box was concealed somewhere in the city,
or else in the hands of your confederates. Now I am convinced that it is
here. I thought at one time that you might have given it to Miss
Ellicott--I have an idea that there is something between you, although
of that I am by no means certain. But I know that she hasn't it, for her
belongings were searched with equal care, last night, while she slept.
The thing is a mystery to me, Mr. D