infatuated and deceived."

"You may think so."

"I have the proofs."

"Satisfactory to you, no doubt, but not proofs after all."

"I know he is associated with vile characters."

"I don't doubt it," came the answer.

"You don't doubt it?"

"No."

The detective gazed aghast as he exclaimed:

"And you still maintain his integrity?"

"I do."

"I cannot understand."

"No; some day you will understand it."

"I saw him attempt a crime. I prevented him from committing what I
believe would have been a murder."

"Not a murder," replied Alice.

Oscar Dunne was no fool, but he was perplexed, for he discovered at last
that the girl Alice possessed certain information that she was
withholding.

"There is something you know that you have not revealed to me."

"I know that Alphonse is an honorable man and incapable of committing a
crime."

"You had better reveal everything to me."

"I have revealed all there is to reveal. He is an honorable man, and in
the end will establish his character before the world. He has a powerful
enemy, one who should be his first friend, but the day will come when
his honor will be fully vindicated, and he will stand before the world
with a splendid reputation. I know it, and now all I can say to you is,
hold your judgment until the denouement."

When Oscar left the presence of Alice he had subject for considerable
meditation. "That girl knows something," he said. He walked along
thinking over the dialogue, when suddenly his attention was attracted by
a struggle. He saw several men slashing at each other with knives, as
he recognized by occasional bright steel gleams under the gaslight. He
always carried his club with him. He ran forward and, seeing two against
one, went for the two who he observed were the assailants, while the
other was acting on the defensive. Oscar drew his club, and the men were
so intent upon their scheme of murder they did not mind his approach,
but two raps from his club sent both to the ground, and when they
regained their feet they made off, while our hero sought to learn the
cause of the attack from the party who had been assailed.

The man had staggered up against a railing in front of a house and his
drooping attitude revealed to our hero that he was wounded.

"You are injured," said our hero.

"Yes, the cowards came upon me from behind and plunged their knives into
me."

Oscar approached closer to the man and with a start that almost caused
h