, Mr. Case," he said cordially. "I knew your late
father quite well--a fine man--a very fine man, indeed. Have a chair
and make yourself at home." He noted that his visitor was much
agitated and flushed. "Sit down by the window; there is a nice breeze
there from across the park."

"Mr. Adams, I would like to see you in private," returned the young
man, as he took a seat and mopped his forehead with his handkerchief.

"Very well," and the office door was carefully closed. Then came a
brief pause, during which Raymond Case cleared his throat several times.

"Mr. Adams, you do not know much about me, but I know a great deal
about you," he commenced. "Three or four years ago you recovered some
stolen mining shares for my father, and last year you cleared up the
Sandford mystery, after the police and the other detectives had failed
completely."

Adam Adams bowed. He rarely spoke unless there was occasion for it.

"May I ask if you are now at liberty?" pursued the young man.

"At liberty? Bless you, no! I have half a dozen cases on hand. Two
here in the city--one over in New Jersey--one in Yonkers, and--"

"But you will undertake a case for me, if I pay you well for it, won't
you?" interrupted the young man eagerly. "Don't say no--please don't!"
And there was a ring of agony in his speech. "I am depending upon you!"

The detective paused before replying, and looked the young man over
with care. The clean-cut features showed not a sign of dissipation,
and the expression was honesty itself. Certainly the young man had not
gotten into trouble on his own account.

"I should want to know something about the case before I promised to do
anything."

"Certainly--of course--" The young man cleared his throat again.

"You can tell me what the trouble is and if I decline to take the case
I will give you my promise not to say a word to any outsider of what
has passed between us."

"Oh, I know I can trust you, Mr. Adams, otherwise I should not have
called here. My father said you were the squarest man he had ever
dealt with. I came to see you about the Langmore affair."

"You mean the murder of Mr. and Mrs. Barry Langmore at Beechwood Hill?"

"Yes."

Adam Adams was surprised, although he did not show it. What had this
rich young man, who lived in Orange, New Jersey, and did business in
Wall Street, to do with that double tragedy which had so shocked the
community?

"I presume you know some of the parti