ns which you have
entertained from the first have within the last few days assumed a
definite form. In what direction do they point?--tell me."

Some men and most women would have yielded to that imperative _tell me_!
But there was no yielding in Amelia Butterworth. Instead of that I
treated him to a touch of irony.

"Is it possible," I asked, "that you think it worth while to consult
_me_? I thought your eyes were too keen to seek assistance from mine.
You are as confident as I am that Howard Van Burnam is innocent of the
crime for which you have arrested him."

A look that was dangerously insinuating crossed his face at this. He
came forward rapidly and, joining me where I stood, said smilingly:

"Let us join forces, Miss Butterworth. You have from the first refused
to consider the younger son of Silas Van Burnam as guilty. Your reasons
then were slight and hardly worth communicating. Have you any better
ones to advance now? It is not too late to mention them, if you have."

"It will not be too late to-morrow," I retorted.

Convinced that I was not to be moved from my position, he gave me one of
his low bows.

"I forgot," said he, "that it was as a rival and not as a coadjutor you
meddled in this matter." And he bowed again, this time with a sarcastic
air I felt too self-satisfied to resent.

"To-morrow, then?" said I.

"To-morrow."

At that I left him.

I did not return immediately to Miss Althorpe. I visited Cox's millinery
store, Mrs. Desberger's house, and the offices of the various city
railways. But I got no clue to the rings; and finally satisfied that
Miss Oliver, as I must now call her, had not lost or disposed of them on
her way from Gramercy Park to her present place of refuge, I returned to
Miss Althorpe's with even a greater determination than before to search
that luxurious home till I found them.

But a decided surprise awaited me. As the door opened I caught a
glimpse of the butler's face, and noticing its embarrassed expression, I
at once asked what had happened.

His answer showed a strange mixture of hesitation and bravado.

"Not much, ma'am; only Miss Althorpe is afraid you may not be pleased.
Miss Oliver is gone, ma'am; she ran away while Crescenze was out of the
room."

XXVII.

FOUND.

I gave a low cry and rushed down the steps.

"Don't go!" I called out to the driver. "I shall want you in ten
minutes." And hurrying back, I ran up-stairs in a condition of mind such