dmiration, exquisitely hinted at by a tactful man, and
properly appreciated by a very beautiful woman.

"By the way," she said carelessly, "have you found that wretched little
Absalom yet? What a bother he has been since he took it into his head to
go off to America, or wherever it is he went to."

"I am glad you mentioned him," said Hartley, his face growing suddenly
serious. "I have a question or two that I want very much to ask you."

"A question or two? That sounds so very legal. Really, Mr. Hartley, I
believe you credit me with having Absalom's body hanging up in one of my
_almirahs_. Honestly, don't you really believe that I had a hand in
putting him out of the way?"

She laughed her hard little laugh, and shot a look at him over her
shoulder.

"You do know something, some little thing it may be, but something that
might help me."

"About Absalom, or about someone else?"

"About whoever you saw him with."

Hartley pushed his pony alongside of hers, but her face revealed
nothing, and was quite expressionless.

"Whoever I saw him with?" she echoed reflectively. "Ah, but it is so
long ago, Mr. Hartley, I can't even remember now whether I was out or
not that evening."

"You are only playing with me," said Hartley a little irritably. "The
policeman on duty at the cross-roads below Paradise Street saw you."

Her face became suddenly so drawn and startled that Hartley regretted
his words almost as he spoke them.

"Wait a minute, Mr. Hartley," she said, in a strained, hard voice. "You
have to explain to me why you have asked your men questions connected
with me."

"I did not ask questions; I was told."

She pulled up her pony, and, turning her head away from him, looked out
silently over the dip of ground below them. Hartley did not break her
silence. He saw that he had come close to some deep emotion, and he
watched her curiously, but Mrs. Wilder, even if she was conscious of his
look, appeared quite indifferent to it. He could form no idea along what
road her silent concentration led her; but he knew that she pursued an
idea that was compelling and strong. He knew enough of her to know that
even her silence was not the silence that arises out of lack of subject
for talk, but that it meant something as definite and clear as though
she spoke direct words to him.

The Head of the Police would have given much at that moment to have
been able to penetrate her thoughts, but he only stared at her with his
b