Helen of
suspicion," I cried, taking her hands in mine. I told her of my find
of the morning, and watched her eyes widen with joy and surprise. "So,
while we haven't found out yet who murdered Jim, we know that Helen had
no part in it."

Mary was thinking hard about something, but she recalled herself
quickly, and said:

"Oh! It's wonderful, Bupps, simply _wonderful_!"

"I'm going out to the Blandesville bridge to do a little sleuthing on
my own hook. Can you come with me?"

"I'm sorry, but I can't, Warren. I have another engagement," she
answered.

"Some other man?" I asked, disappointed and a bit jealous.

"Yes."

"Is it that young Davis?"

She shook her head.

"It's some one you don't like very well."

"That's natural," I replied. "I don't love any of my rivals. Who is
it?"

"Promise you won't say anything if I tell you who it is?"

"Of course I won't say anything," I said a little haughtily. "You have
a perfect right to go with any one you care to."

"It's Frank Woods."

"Mary," I gasped, "do you mean to say you'd be seen with that man,
after what he did to Jim?"

"Now, Bupps, you promised not to say anything."

"I know--but this is different. Do you think I'll stand quietly by and
see that man make a fool of you as he did of Helen? Do you think I'll
let that--that rake make love to you?"

"He's not going to make love to me!" Mary answered with some asperity.

"That's what you think. That's what Helen thought and Jim thought.
That's what all of them think when he starts. Do you know what he
wants to do? He asked you to go out with him so he could try to borrow
money of you, to save his rotten hide."

"But, Bupps, he didn't ask me to go riding with him. I asked him to
take me."

"You asked him to take you?" I cried.

"Don't talk so loud, Bupps! The people on the street will hear you."

If there was anything she could have said that would have made me
angrier than I already was, it was that.

"I'm not talking loud," I shouted, "and what if I do? The people on
the street may hear me, but they will _see_ you with Frank Woods, which
is a hundred times worse. Why, it is as much as a girl's reputation is
worth to be seen alone with him."

"I'll take care of my reputation," she replied coldly.

"You think you will," I said, flinging myself into a chair.

"Warren! Do you know that's insulting?" Mary exclaimed angrily.
"You're acting like a schoolboy. I have good reasons