seemed to think I ought to do something at once. Personally, I'd
rather have consulted Mrs. Gosnold before putting it up to you this
way."

"I'm afraid you will find that would have been wiser."

"Yes, miss, perhaps. But she being absent and no way of finding out
when she was liable to be back and the case left in my hands, to act
on my discretion, providing no confession was made--"

"Still, I advise you to wait. If you think you must do something, why
not employ your talents to find Mrs. Gosnold?"

"Well--that's so, too; and I would, only it was suggested that maybe
she hadn't disappeared really, but was just keeping out of sight until
this business was settled, preferring not to be around when anything
unpleasant was pulled off. Like this."

Sally shrugged.

"Very well," she said indifferently. "What then?"

"I'd like to ask you some questions."

"Spare yourself the trouble. I shan't answer."

"You might make things easier for all of us, miss, yourself included."

"I promise faithfully," Sally said, "to answer any questions you may
care to ask fully, freely, truthfully--in the presence of Mrs.
Gosnold. Find her first. Until you do, I refuse to say a word."

"I don't suppose you'd mind telling me how you came to get your
job as secretary to Mrs. Gosnold."

True to her word, Sally kept her lips tight shut.

At this, Miss Pride felt called upon to volunteer: "Mrs. Standish
ought to be able to tell you that, Mr. Mason. She brought
Miss--Manwaring here."

"I'm sure," Mrs. Standish said with an elaborate air of indifference,
"I know little or nothing about Miss Manwaring." But Sally's regard
was ominous. She hesitated, apparently revising what she had at first
intended to say. "She came to me last week--the day we left New
York--with a letter of recommendation purporting to be from Mrs.
English--Mrs. Cornwallis English, the social worker, who is now in
Italy."

"Purporting?" iterated the detective.

"Oh, I have no reason to believe it wasn't genuine, I'm sure."

"Have you the letter handy'?"

"I don't think I have," Mrs. Standish replied dubiously. "Perhaps. I
can't say. I'll have to look. I'm careless about such matters."

"That's all you know about her?"

"Practically. She seemed pleasant-spoken and intelligent. I took a
fancy to her, gave her an outfit of clothing, brought her here and
introduced her to my aunt, who personally engaged her, understanding
all the circumstances. That is the limit