ho,
hands plunged deep in pockets and black of countenance, was stamping up
and down the room.

"Um!" said Allerdyke. "Um! Now, in my humble opinion, Fullaway, that's a
good deal queerer than the Van Koon incident. For look you here--your
secretary was talking to us in your room there at less than five minutes
to one, and we left her here when we went out on the stroke of one. And
yet--look at the wire!--she handed that in at the East Strand post office
within ten minutes after we'd left her! What do you make of that?"

"Damnation!" exclaimed Fullaway. "How the blazes do I know what to make
of it! I seem to be surrounded with--God knows what hellish mysteries!
Allerdyke, is there a regular devil's conspiracy, or--what is there?"

Allerdyke made a show of looking at the telegram again. In reality, he
was considering matters. Should he tell Fullaway what he knew? He was
more than a little tempted to do so. But his natural sense of caution and
reserve stopped the words before they reached his tongue, and he took
another tack.

"You said just now, in talking to Delkin, that you'd the greatest
confidence in this Mrs. Marlow, and had the best references with her,
Fullaway," he remarked. "What references?"

"Good business references!" answered Fullaway excitedly. "The best! Firms
of high standing in the City. Couldn't have had better. Go and ask any of
them about her--I'll lay my last dollar they will say the same. Capital
secretary--clever woman--thoroughly trustworthy!"

"What do you know about her private life?" asked Allerdyke.

"What the deuce has the woman's private life to do with me?" snapped
Fullaway. "I know nothing. So long as she comes here at ten, stops till
five, and does her duty--hang her private life!"

"Do you know where she lives?" asked Allerdyke imperturbably. "But of
course you do."

"Then I don't!" retorted Fullaway. "Somewhere up town, I believe--West
End somewhere. I don't know. I've nothing to do with her private
affairs. I never have had anything to do with the private affairs of any
employee of mine."

"She makes her private affairs have something to do with you though,"
said Allerdyke, tapping the telegram significantly. "But, in my opinion,
that wire's nothing but an excuse. What're you going to do?"

"Oh, I don't know!" exclaimed Fullaway. "I'm about sick of the
whole thing."

Allerdyke pulled out his watch.

"I must go," he said. "I've a business appointment. I'll see you later."