my troubles were near their end. His sharp, eager
face with its firm jaw and quick eye inspired one with the feeling that
he could find the bottom of any mystery. It was with a deep breath of
relief that I held out my hand.

"Hello, old man! How are you?" he exclaimed with a smile of cordiality
as he grasped it. And then recalling the gravity of the situation, he
with some difficulty pulled a sober face. "I'm sorry that we meet again
under such sad circumstances," he added perfunctorily. "I suppose you
think I've meddled enough in your affairs already; and on my word, I
intended to stay out of this. But of course I've been watching it in the
papers; partly because it was interesting and partly because I knew
you. It struck me yesterday afternoon as I was thinking things over that
you weren't making much headway and might like a little help; so I
induced the Post-Dispatch to send down their best man. I hope I shall
get at the truth." He paused a moment and looked at me sharply. "Do you
want me to stay? I will go back if you'd rather have me."

I was instantly ashamed of my distrust of the afternoon. Whatever might
be Terry's failings, I could not doubt, as I looked into his face, that
his Irish heart was in the right place.

"I am not afraid of the truth," I returned steadily. "If you can
discover it, for Heaven's sake do so!"

"That's what I'm paid for," said Terry. "The Post-Dispatch doesn't deal
in fiction any more than it can help."

As we climbed into the carriage he added briskly, "It's a horrible
affair! The details as I have them from the papers are not full enough,
but you can tell them to me as we drive along."

I should have laughed had I been feeling less anxious. His greeting was
so entirely characteristic in the way he shuffled through the necessary
condolences and jumped, with such evident relish, to the gruesome
details.

As I gathered up the reins and backed away from the hitching-post, Terry
broke out with:

"Here, hold on a minute. Where are you going?"

"Back to Four-Pools," I said in some surprise. "I thought you'd want to
unpack your things and get settled."

"Haven't much time to get settled," he laughed. "I have an engagement in
New York the day after to-morrow. How about the cave? Is it too late to
visit it now?"

"Well," I said dubiously, "it's ten miles across the mountains and
pretty heavy roads. It would be dark before we got there."

"As far as that goes, we could visit the c