u went round there and told them," he suggested, "would that
make any difference? I could stay until you came back."

"Do you mind?" she asked eagerly. "It would be so kind of you."

"Not at all," he answered. "Perhaps you would be good enough to
bring a taxicab back, and I could take it on to my rooms. Take
one from here, if you can find it. There are always some at the
corner."

"I'd love to," she answered. "I must run upstairs and get my hat
and coat."

He watched her go up on tiptoe for fear of disturbing her brother.
Her feet seemed almost unearthly in the lightness of their pressure.
Not a board creaked. She seemed to float down to him in a most
becoming little hat but a shockingly shabby jacket, of whose
deficiencies she seemed wholly unaware. Her lips were parted once
more in a smile.

"He is fast asleep and breathing quite regularly," she announced.
"It is nice of you to stay."

He looked at her almost jealously.

"Do you know," he said, "you ought not to go about alone?"

She laughed, softly but heartily.

"Have you any idea how old I am?"

"I took you for fourteen when I came inside," he answered.
"Afterwards I thought you might be sixteen. Later on, it seemed
to me possible that you were eighteen. I am absolutely certain
that you are not more than nineteen."

"That shows how little you know about it. I am twenty, and I am
quite used to going about alone. Will you sit upstairs or here?
I am so sorry that I have nothing to offer you."

"Thanks, I need nothing. I think I will sit upstairs in case he
wakes."

She nodded and stole out, closing the door behind her noiselessly.
Laverick watched her from the window until she was out of sight,
moving without any appearance of haste, yet with an incredible
swiftness. When she had turned the corner, he went slowly
upstairs and into the room where Morrison still lay asleep. He
drew a chair to the bedside and leaning forward opened out the
evening paper. The events of the last hour or so had completely
blotted out from his mind, for the time being, his own expedition
into the world of tragical happenings. He glanced at the sleeping
man, then opened his paper. There was very little fresh news
except that this time the fact was mentioned that upon the body
of the murdered man was discovered a sum larger than was at first
supposed. It seemed doubtful, therefore, whether robbery, after
all, was the motive of the crime, especially as it t