race Endicott in
Boston and married that woman, and then came back to me?"

"Oh, my dear Mrs. Dillon," cried the detective in alarm, "do not excite
yourself over so trifling a thing. Your son is your son no matter what
our theories may be. This Endicott was born and brought up in the
vicinity of Boston, and came from a very old family. Your suspicion is
baseless. Forget the whole matter I beg of you."

"Have you a picture of the young man?"

He handed her the inevitable photograph reluctantly, quite sure that she
would have hysterics before he left, so sincere was her excitement. Anne
studied the portrait with keen interest, it may be imagined, astonished
to find it so different from Arthur Dillon. Had she blundered as well as
the detective? Between this portrait and any of the recent photographs
of Arthur there seemed no apparent resemblance in any feature. She had
been exciting herself for nothing.

"Wonderful are the ways of men," was her comment. "How any one ..." her
brogue had left her ... "could take Arthur Dillon for this man, even
supposing he was disguised now, is strange and shameful. What is to be
the end of it?"

"Just this, dear madam," said Curran, delighted at her returning
calmness. "I shall tell them what you have said, what every one says,
and they'll drop the inquiry as they have dropped about one hundred
others. If they are persistent, I shall add that you are ready to go
into any court in the land and swear positively that you know your own
son."

"Into twenty courts," she replied with fervor, and the tears, real tears
came into her eyes; then, at sight of Aladdin's palace as firm as ever
on its frail foundations, the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Precisely. And now if you would be kind enough to keep this matter from
the ears of Mr. Dillon ... he's a great friend of mine ... I admire him
... I was with him in the little expedition to Ireland, you know ... and
it was to save him pain that I came to you first ... if it could be kept
quiet----"

"I want it kept quiet," she said with decision, "but at the same time
Arthur must know of these cruel suspicions. Oh, how my heart beats when
I think of it! Without him ten years, and then to have strangers plan to
take him from me altogether ... forever ... forever ... oh!"

Curran perspired freely at the prospect of violent hysterics. No man
could deal more rudely with the weak and helpless with right on his
side, or if his plans demanded it. B