her sister fixed their eyes upon me
with unmistakable excitement, and seemed to anticipate all that I might
be going to say.

This, of course, was all the more favorable to my design, and, seeing
such immediate success, I went on headlong.

"You see," said I, "I put that notice in myself."

"_You_!" cried O'Halloran, Miss O'Halloran, Marion,
this time in greater surprise than before.

"Yes," said I. "I did it because I was very anxious to trace some one,
and this appeared to be the way that was at once the most certain, and
at the same time the least likely to excite suspicion."

"Suspicion?"

"Yes--for the one whom I wished to trace was a lady."

"A lady!" said O'Halloran. "Aha! you rogue, so that's what ye'er up to,
is it? An' there isn't a word of truth in this about Verrier?"

"Yes, there is," said I, "He was really drowned, but I don't know his
name, and Paul Terrier, and the disconsolate father, Pierre, are
altogether imaginary names. But I'll tell you all about it."

"Be dad, an' I'd be glad if ye would, for this exorjium sthrikes me as
the most schupindous bit of schamin that I've encounthered for a month
of Sundays."

While I was saying this, the ladies did not utter a single syllable.
But if they were silent, it was not from want of interest. Their eyes
were fixed on mine as though they were bound to me by some powerful
spell; their lips parted, and, in their intense eagerness to hear what
it was that I had to say, they did not pretend to conceal their
feelings. Miss O'Halloran was seated in an arm-chair. Her left arm
leaned upon it, and her hand mechanically pressed her forehead as she
devoured me with her gaze. Marion was seated on a common chair, and sat
with one elbow on the table, her hands clasped tight, her body thrown
slightly forward, and her eyes fixed on mine with an intensity of gaze
that was really embarrassing.

And now all this convinced me that they must know all about it, and
emboldened me to go on. Now was the time, I felt, to press my search
--now or never.

So I went on--

"Conticuere omnes, intentique ora tenebaut Inde toro Sandy Macrorie
sic orsus ab alto: Infandum, Regina, jubes renovare dolorem."

That's about it. Rather a hackneyed quotation, of course, but a fellow
like me isn't supposed to know much about Latin, and it is uncommonly
appropriate. And, I tell you what it is, since Aeneas entertained Dido
on that memorable occasion, few fellows have had such an audien