chman drive on, and reluctantly, I own, carried her back to the house
she had left in the morning.

And this is how I came to spend a second night in Miss Althorpe's
hospitable mansion.

XXVIII.

TAKEN ABACK.

One incident more and this portion of my story is at an end. My poor
patient, sicker than she had been the night before, left me but little
leisure for thought or action disconnected with my care for her. But
towards morning she grew quieter, and finding in an open drawer those
tangled threads of yarn of which I have spoken, I began to rewind them,
out of a natural desire to see everything neat and orderly about me. I
had nearly finished my task when I heard a strange noise from the bed.
It was a sort of gurgling cry which I found hard to interpret, but which
only stopped when I laid my work down again. Manifestly this sick girl
had very nervous fancies.

When I went down to breakfast the next morning, I was in that complacent
state of mind natural to a woman who feels that her abilities have
asserted themselves and that she would soon receive a recognition of the
same at the hands of the one person for whose commendation she had
chiefly been working. The identification of Miss Oliver by the Chinaman
was the last link in the chain connecting her with the Mrs. James Pope
who had accompanied Mr. Van Burnam to his father's house in Gramercy
Park, and though I would fain have had the murdered woman's rings to
show, I was contented enough with the discoveries I had made to wish for
the hour which would bring me face to face with the detective.

But a surprise awaited me at the breakfast table in the shape of a
communication from that gentleman. It had just been brought from my
house by Lena, and it ran thus:

"DEAR MISS BUTTERWORTH:

"Pardon our interference. _We_ have found the rings which you
think so conclusive an evidence of guilt against the person
secreting them; and, _with your permission_ [this was basely
underlined], Mr. Franklin Van Burnam will be in custody to-day.

"I will wait upon you at ten.

"Respectfully yours,

"EBENEZAR GRYCE."

_Franklin Van Burnam!_ Was I dreaming? _Franklin_ Van Burnam accused of
this crime and in custody! What did it mean? I had found no evidence
against Franklin Van Burnam.

_BOOK III_.

THE GIRL IN GRAY.

XXIX.

AMELIA BECOMES PEREMPTORY.

"Madam, I hope I see you satisfied?"

This was Mr. G