Instantly all the gay abandonment left her features, and she
showed me a grave, almost troubled, countenance, more in keeping with
her severe dress, which was as nearly like mourning as it could be and
not be made of crape.

It was such a sudden change and of so complete a character, that I was
thrown off my guard for a moment and probably betrayed the curiosity I
undoubtedly felt; for she paused as she reached me, and, surveying me
very quietly but very scrutinizingly too, raised again that marvelous
voice of hers and pointedly observed:

"This is a private path, sir. Only the friends of Mrs. Ocumpaugh or of
myself pass here."

This was a speech calculated to restore my self-possession. With a bow
which evidently surprised her, I answered with just enough respect to
temper my apparent presumption:

"I am here in the interests of Mrs. Ocumpaugh, to assist her in finding
her child. Moments are precious; so I ventured to approach by the
shorter way."

"Pardon me!" The words did not come instantly, but after some
hesitation, during which she kept her eyes on my face in a way to rob me
of all thought save that she possessed a very strong magnetic quality,
to which it were well for a man like myself to yield. "You will be my
friend, too, if you succeed in restoring Gwendolen." Then quickly, as
she crossed to the Ocumpaugh grounds: "You do not look like a member of
the police. Are you here at Mrs. Ocumpaugh's bidding, and has she at
last given up all expectation of finding her child in the river?"

I, too, thought a minute before answering, then I put on my most candid
expression, for was not this woman on her way to Mrs. Ocumpaugh, and
would she not be likely to repeat what she heard me say?

"I do not know how Mrs. Ocumpaugh feels at present. But I know what her
dearest wish is--to see her child again alive and well. That wish I
shall do my best to gratify. It is true that I am not a police
detective, but I have an agency of my own, well-known to both Mrs. and
Mr. Ocumpaugh. All its resources will be devoted to this business and I
hope to succeed, madam. If, as I suspect, you are on your way to Mrs.
Ocumpaugh, please tell her that Robert Trevitt, of Trevitt and Jupp,
hopes to succeed."

"I _will_," she emphasized. Then stepping back to me in all the grace of
her thrilling personality, she eagerly added: "If there is any
information I can give, do not be afraid to ask me. I love children, and
would give anything in