was written on the back
of an account for pigeon food, sent to him from a Horsham tradesman. I
knew he would not try to dispatch his message by the ordinary courses
and I suspected all along that he had established a pigeon-post. The
bill gave me all the information I wanted. It took us a long time to
find the tradesman, but once we had discovered him he directed us to the
farm. We took along a couple of local policemen and arrested Bridgers in
the garage."

She shivered.

"It was horrible, wasn't it?" she said.

He nodded.

"It was rather dreadful, but it might have been very much worse," he
added philosophically.

"But how wonderful of you to switch yourself from the crime of that
enthralling character to a commonplace divorce suit."

"This isn't commonplace," he said, "it is rather a curious story."

"Do tell me." She made a place for him on the window-ledge and he sat
down beside her.

"It is a story of a mistake and a blunder," he said. "The plaintiff, a
very worthy young man, passably good looking, was a man of my
profession, a detective engaged in protecting the interests of a young
and beautiful girl."

"I suppose you have to say she's young and beautiful or the story
wouldn't be interesting," she said.

"It is not necessary to lie in this case," he said, "she is certainly
young and undoubtedly beautiful. She has the loveliest eyes----"

"Go on," she said hastily.

"The detective," he resumed, "hereinafter called the petitioner,
desiring to protect the innocent maiden from the machinations of a
fortune-hunting gentleman no longer with us, contracted as he thought a
fraudulent marriage with this unfortunate girl, believing thereby he
could choke off the villain who was pursuing her."

"But why did the unfortunate girl marry him, even fraudulently?"

"Because," said Beale, "the villain of the piece had drugged her and she
didn't know what she was doing. After the marriage," he went on, "he
discovered that so far from being illegal it was good in law and he had
bound this wretched female."

"Please don't be rude," she said.

"He had bound this wretched female to him for life. Being a perfect
gentleman, born of poor but American parents, he takes the first
opportunity of freeing her."

"And himself," she murmured.

"As to the poor misguided lad," he said firmly, "you need feel no
sympathy. He had behaved disgracefully."

"How?" she asked.

"Well, you see, he had already fallen in love wit