Peter Paul were to die?"

"I won't have him put to death," said she quickly. "That would be,
cheating my grandmother's intentions."

"I supposed you wouldn't. Yet it would be the simplest way. Once dead,
and buried in accordance with the terms of the will, the dog would be
out of his troubles, and you would be out of yours."

"It would really be a relief. Peter Paul suffers so from asthma, poor
old beastie. The vet says he can live only a month or two longer,
anyway. But I've got to do as Grandmother wished, and keep Peter Paul
alive as long as possible."

"Admitted." Average Jones fell into a baffled silence, studying the
pattern of the rug with restless eyes. When he looked up into Miss
Graham's face again it was with a changed expression.

"Miss Graham," he said slowly, "won't you try to forget, for the moment,
the circumstances of our meeting, and think of me only as a friend of
your friends who is very honestly eager to be a friend to you, when you
most need one?"

Now, Average Jones's birth-fairy had endowed him with one priceless
gift: the power of inspiring an instinctive confidence in himself.
Sylvia Graham felt, suddenly, that a hand, sure and firm, had been
outstretched to guide her on a dark path. In one of those rare flashes
of companionship which come only when clean and honorable spirits
recognize one another, all consciousness of sex was lost between them.
The girl's gaze met the man's level, and was held in a long, silent
regard.

"Yes," she said simply; and the heart of Average Jones rose and swore a
high loyalty.

"Listen, then. I think I see a clear way. Judge Ackroyd will kill the
dog if he can, and so effectually conceal the body that no funeral can
be held over it, thereby rendering your grandmother's bequest to you
void. He has only a few days to do it in, but I don't think that all
your watchfulness can restrain him. Now, on the other hand, if the dog
should die a natural death and be buried, he can still contest the
will. But if he should kill Peter Paul and hide the body where we could
discover it, the game would be up for him, as he then wouldn't even dare
to come into court with a contest. Do you follow me?"

"Yes. But you wouldn't ask me to be a party to any such thing."

"You're a party, involuntarily, by remaining here. But do your best to
save Peter Paul, if you will. And please call me up immediately at the
Cosmic Club, if anything in my line turns up."

"What is your line