rnard was an orphan, the daughter of one of his former friends, and
he took a fatherly interest in her. She lived with a second cousin,
but wished to be independent and so the detective had given her the
position, in his office, a place she filled with credit. She was short
and plump and had a wealth of curly hair that strayed over her forehead.

"The Chief asked me to give you these papers," said the assistant.
"You are to sign all three."

"Um! Then that's the end of the Soper case. Anything else?"

"Glackey was in. He told me he had tracked the German and would report
in full by to-morrow. He thinks you were right and the German is the
man."

"What else?"

"A Mrs. Caven-Demuth was here. Wished to know if you ever found lost
dogs."

"Great Scott! Dogs!"

"She said her pet cocker-spaniel had disappeared and she was willing to
spend five hundred dollars on finding him."

"I am no dog detective. Send her to McMommie." McMommie was, as it is
easy to guess, a rival.

"I sent her to police headquarters."

"And is that all?"

"Mr. Folett telegraphed that he would be here at ten."

"It's after that now--it's nearly noon. You can go to lunch if you
wish. There's the door-- Hullo, it's Mr. Folett now. Be back in an
hour."

"Yes, Uncle Adam," answered the girl. She always called him uncle,
since he had taken such an interest in her. She went out as the caller
entered, and left the two men talking over a business matter which has
nothing to do with our story.

It was two o'clock before Adam Adams found himself free once more. He
procured a lunch and then took a subway train halfway uptown. He
walked two blocks westward and ascended the steps of a fine brown-stone
residence. He asked for Doctor Calkey and was ushered into a private
den, where the doctor, a tall, spare man of sixty, soon joined him.

"My good friend Adams!" cried the doctor, shaking hands warmly. "Where
have you kept yourself? Surely you have not been to see me for a year,
or is it longer? I have missed you so much--and the comforting smokes
we had together? Why did you desert me? You knew I could not come to
you--that I never go out. And you do not bring any business to me--"

"I had none to bring, and I have been very busy. But I have missed our
meetings, I must confess."

"Ah, I am glad to learn I was not entirely forgotten. And you have
been busy, and still nothing for Rudolph Calkey to do, nothing to
analyze, n