e first place, had lied. The
other woman had been with her, beyond a doubt. Duvall thought of her
picture on the wall of Miss Ford's room. The latter's reason for lying
was equally clear. She and the woman with her were guilty.

In the second place, Miss Ford now realized fully that she was under
direct suspicion. If, this being the case, she failed to take some step
that would be fatal to both her confederate and herself, Duvall felt
that he would be very much surprised. He made up his mind to keep close
watch upon the house.

Suddenly it occurred to him that Grace might be of immense service to
him at this juncture. She could follow the Ford girl, unknown,
unrecognized, while he himself could not. He decided to call her up at
once, and ask her to join him.

At the corner, the lights of a saloon glowed brilliantly. With a final
glance at the dark doorway of No. 162, he walked quickly down the street
He felt that, if he hurried, he need not be away from his post more than
a few moments.

The call to his hotel developed the fact that Grace was not in. There
was a lady asking for him, however, the clerk said, an elderly woman,
who gave her name as Mrs. Morton. She had just come in, and seemed
greatly agitated at not having found him.

The name, Mrs. Morton, filled Duvall with sudden apprehension.

"I'll speak to her, please," he said. A moment later, he recognized the
voice of Mrs. Morton over the 'phone.

"Is this Mr. Duvall?"

"Yes."

"This is Mrs. Morton. Your wife came to me, a little while ago, and said
that you wanted to see me at your hotel at once. She explained that it
was of the utmost importance. Why are you not here?"

"I sent no such message."

"No such message! Then who did?"

"I do not know. You left your daughter alone?"

"Yes."

"Then, Mrs. Morton, I am afraid you have been imposed upon. Wait where
you are. I will join you at once."

"Hurry, then, Mr. Duvall. If what you say is true, we do not know what
may have happened."

"I will be with you in fifteen minutes."

The astonishing news given to him by Mrs. Morton filled Duvall with
alarm. Clearly the supposed message from him had been part of a scheme
to get her away from the hotel, to leave Ruth there alone. He scarcely
dared think of the consequences. The following of Miss Ford now became a
matter of secondary importance. Fearing the worst, he signaled to a
passing taxicab, and drove as rapidly as possible to his hotel.

Mrs. Mo