sire to save your life and your soul."

"Why?"

"Because I believe you are an unfortunate person and that you mean well,
and now as far as these men are concerned you are free from them
forever, I care not how many there are of them. Argetti is doomed, and
every one of his friends, including the man who assailed you, will
either be captured or driven from the country. A way will be provided
for you to support yourself in independence. That is what I mean, and
now I have something to tell you. I will be compelled to treat you as a
prisoner for a little while. I do not wish to make you a party in any
way to what I propose to do."

The girl appeared perplexed when our hero put handcuffs on her wrists,
and after a moment in a very disconsolate tone she said: "I am not
deceived; I know I am doomed. Very well, proceed. The time will come
when I will have a chance to free myself."

CHAPTER X.

OSCAR MAKES A THOROUGH SEARCH OF THE HOUSE, AND AT
FIRST ONLY FINDS CERTAIN CLEWS, BUT IN THE END HE
MAKES A GREAT DISCOVERY.

Dudie Dunne, having a certain purpose to carry out, paid little heed to
the girl's disconsolate remarks. He knew that she would be all right in
the end. He commenced and searched that house from top to bottom, and
found many little articles which he put aside for future reference. He
also made notes of several matters, and finally, concluding his search,
he returned to the room where he had left the girl Caroline. He found
her sitting on a chair, her head cast down, and she was evidently lost
in deep thought. "Come," he said, "we will go."

"We will go?"

"Yes."

"You intend to keep me a prisoner?"

"Yes, for the present, and for your own safety. Some very startling
events are transpiring, and it is necessary for your own safety that you
should be in a safe place."

The detective led the girl to the home of a woman who had once been a
prison matron. She was a very able woman. He placed the girl Caroline in
this woman's charge with full instructions how to act. He had permitted
the girl to take what she desired from the house, but to his surprise
she took but very little--none of the elegant clothes---none of the
gems; even the ring she wore on her finger she cast upon the bureau. Our
hero did not urge her to take anything, but he did secure these gems,
holding them for future identification.

On the day following the incidents we have described, Oscar visited
headquarters and learned that