sconsolately to his chair when voices rose in the hall, and a man was
ushered in, whom Gerridge immediately introduced as Mr. Sims.

A runner--and with news! Mr. Ransom, summoning up his courage, waited for
the inevitable question and reply. They came quickly enough.

"What have you got? Have you found the man?"

"Yes. And the lady's been to see him; that is, if the description of her
togs was correct."

"He means Mrs. Ransom," explained Gerridge. Then, as he marked his
client's struggle for composure, he quietly asked, "A lady in a dark
green suit with yellowish furs and a blue veil over her hat?"

"That's the ticket!"

"The clothes worn by the woman who went out of the basement door, Mr.
Ransom."

The latter turned sharply aside. The shame of the thing was becoming
intolerable.

"And this woman wearing those yellow furs and the blue veil visited the
man of the broken jaw?" inquired Gerridge.

"Yes, sir."

"When?"

"About six this afternoon."

"And where?"

"At the hotel St. Denis where I have since tracked him."

"How long did she stay?"

"About an hour."

"In the parlor or--"

"In the parlor. They had a great deal to say. More than one noticed them,
but no one heard anything. They talked very low but they meant business."

"Where is this man now?"

"At the same place. He has engaged a room there."

"The man with the twisted jaw?"

"Yes."

"Under what name?"

"Hugh Porter."

"Ah, it was Hazen only five hours ago," muttered Ransom. "Porter, did you
say? I'll have a talk with this Porter at once."

"I think not to-night," put in the detective, with the mingled authority
and deference natural to one of his kind. "To-morrow, perhaps, but
to-night it would only provoke scandal."

This was certainly true, but Mr. Ransom was not an easy man to dominate.

"I must see him before I sleep," he insisted. "A single word may solve
this mystery. He has the word. I'd be a fool to let the night go by--Ah!
what's that?"

The telephone bell had rung again. A message from the office this time. A
note had just been handed in for Mr. Ransom; should they send it up?

Gerridge was at the 'phone.

"Instantly," he shouted down, "and be sure you hold the messenger. It may
be from your lady," he remarked to Mr. Ransom. "Stranger things than that
have happened."

Mr. Ransom reeled to the door, opened it and stood waiting. The two
detectives exchanged glances. What might not that note contain!

Mr. Rans