e was just running to the neighbors?"

"But she wore no coat?"

"I don't remember any coat."

"Do you remember her frock?"

"No, not exactly."

"Don't you remember its color?"

"No."

"Wasn't it black? the skirt of it, at least?"

"Black? Wa'al, I guess not. A gal of her age in black! No, she was as
bright as the flowers in my wife's garden. Not a black thing on her. I
should sooner think her clothes were red than black."

Harper showed his surprise.

"Not a black skirt?" he persisted.

"No, sir'ee. I haven't much eye for fixin's but I've eye enough to know
when a gal's dressed like a gal and not like some old woman."

Harper's eye stole again towards Ransom.

"Checkmate in four moves," he muttered. "The person we are interested in
could have worn no such clothing as Mr. Goodenough describes. Yet
clothing can be changed. How, I cannot see in this instance; but I will
risk no mistake. The trail we followed led too surely in the direction of
the highway for us to drop all inquiries because of a colored skirt and a
hat we cannot quite account for. If the face is one we know (and I
really believe it was), we can leave the other discrepancies to future
explanation." And turning back to the patient countryman, he composedly
remarked: "You are positive in your recollections of the young lady's
features. You would have no difficulty in recognizing her if you saw her
again?"

"Not a bit. Once I get a picter in my mind of a man or a woman I see it
always. And I can see her as plain as plain the moment I stop to think.
She was pretty, you see, and just a little scared to speak to a stranger.
But that went as she saw my face, and she asked me very perlite if she
was on the right road to the Ferry."

"And you told her she was?"

"Sartain; and how much time she had to get there to catch the boat."

"I see. So you would know her again if you saw her."

"I jest would."

The lawyer made a move towards the door which Mr. Ransom hastened to
open. As the long vista of the hall disclosed itself, Mr. Harper turned
upon the countryman with the quiet remark:

"There were two ladies here, you know. Twins. Their likeness was
remarkable. If we show you the remaining one who now lies asleep, you
surely will be able to tell if she is like the lady you saw."

"If she looks just like her you can bet beans against potatoes on that."

"Come, then. You needn't feel any embarrassment, for she's not only sound
asleep but so de