n again."

"Do you think that the man Dare has any connection with Beechfield
beside that of his recent visit?"

"Yes, I do. He caught himself up like once or twice when I began to talk
of it; and once he put me right--accidental like--about the name of
somebody at Beechfield."

"Whose name?"

"I'm not sure as I can remember. Yes, I do, though! It was Mr. Rumbold's
first name. I called him 'The Reverend Edward,' and he says
'Alfred'--quick, as if he wasn't thinking. So he must have known the
place in years gone by."

Flossy sat thinking.

"Sabina," she said at length, in her smoothest tones, "I will take you
into my confidence--I know you can be trusted. Of course it would be a
great blow to me if my brother married an actress--a girl whom one knows
nothing at all about; besides, he is almost engaged to my husband's
niece, Miss Vane." She did not add that she had been subtly opposing
this engagement by all the means in her power for the last few weeks.
"We must try to break off the connection as soon as we can. The more we
know about this Miss West's past life the better. I will go to the
Frivolity myself, and see whether I can learn anything about it there.
And, Sabina----"

"Yes, ma'am," said the woman, as Mrs. Vane paused.

"That mass of white hair, Sabina--do you think it looks quite natural?"

"Mr. Dare, you mean, ma'am? No, I don't; I believe it's a wig. I've seen
it quite on one side."

"Couldn't you find out, Sabina?"

"Well, I don't see how," said Sabina slowly. "I've never seen him
without it. One night there was an alarm of fire, and everybody rushed
to their doors, and Mr. Dare came too; but his hair and his beard and
everything was just the same as usual. Still I'm sure I've seen it a
little on one side."

"You provide his food here, do you not? Do you ever help your aunt?"

"Sometimes, ma'am. I take in his tea and all that, you know. We're by
way of being very friendly, Mr. Dare and me."

"Sabina, if you had the stuff, could you not quietly put something into
his tea which would make him sleep for an hour or two? And, when he was
asleep, could you not find out what I want to know?"

Sabina was silent for a moment.

"What should I get for it?" she said at last. "It's always a risk to
run."

"Twenty pounds," said Flossy promptly. "There is very little risk."

"And where should I get the stuff?"

"I--I have it with me," said Mrs. Vane.

Sabina, who had been standing, suddenly sat do