. Oh," he added, carelessly,
anticipating another inquiry from Mr. Whitney, "I'm getting there
all right, if that is what you want to know; but I won't have
somebody else dogging my tracks and then claiming the game by and by."

"Man alive! what in the dickens are you driving at? You are in one
of your moods to-night."

"Perhaps so," Merrick replied, indifferently, then added quickly,
"There is a sensation of some sort in there; see the crowd of
reporters!"

They were standing on a street corner, near a large hotel, and
glancing through the windows in the direction indicated by the
detective, Mr. Whitney saw, as he had said, a crowd of reporters in
the office and lobbies, some writing, some talking excitedly, and
others coming and going. Just then one who was leaving the building
passed them, and Merrick stopped him.

"What is going on? What's the excitement?"

"Suicide!" the young man replied, hastily. "That woman who was
mixed up in the Mainwaring case has suicided by poison."

The attorney and the detective exchanged startled glances, then
both entered the hotel.

CHAPTER XXIII

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM

An hour later, the attorney and the detective reappeared, and,
threading their way through the crowd still lingering about the
hotel, walked rapidly down the street, arm in arm, conversing in
low tones.

"A case of suicide, undoubtedly," said the attorney "and scarcely to
be wondered at, taking all the circumstances into consideration.
Do you know, I am now more than ever inclined to the belief that
she was in some way connected with Hugh Mainwaring's death, and
that, after such a revelation of her character as was made in court
this morning, she feared further disclosures."

Mr. Whitney glanced at his companion, but the latter seemed
engrossed with his own thoughts and made no reply.

"I never was so completely floored in my life," the attorney
continued, "as when it came out that Harold Mainwaring was her son;
and I yet fail to see the necessity for introducing that feature
into the testimony. I should have thought that would have been
passed over in silence."

"As near as I can judge from reading of the case," Merrick replied,
"it seems to have been done with a purpose. His attorneys were
leading up to that very point in such a manner that, when the climax
was reached, she would involuntarily betray herself--as she did--thus
confirming in the strongest manner the testimony already give