ympathy and encouragement--say between two and five to-morrow
afternoon."

"You mean----" and Bat looked at him, only dimly grasping what was
behind the words.

"That I depend upon you to suggest this to her," said the other. "It's
the sort of thing she'll do, once it's in her mind."

"But," asked the astonished big man, "what's it for?"

"I want to pay another visit to her house," said Ashton-Kirk, coolly,
"when she is not there."

CHAPTER V

THE HOUND AND THE SCENT

The next morning at a trifle past nine, Bat Scanlon once more presented
himself in Ashton-Kirk's study. He found the investigator attired in a
well-fitting suit of rough, gray material; a light stick and a cap lay
upon a table, while their owner, his hands deep in his trousers pockets,
paced the floor.

"I've been through a half dozen newspapers since breakfast," said he.
"The reporters and the city editors have had a great deal to say about
what they call the 'Stanwick Mystery'; but they have unearthed nothing
that's at all suggestive."

"Not a thing," verified Bat. "At least, nothing that I haven't seen or
heard myself--except that the sick girl--Mary Burton--has taken to her
bed."

"That's bad," said his friend. "But, you see, the arrest of her brother
was sure to have some such effect."

"Well, it's turned a little trick for me, anyway," said Bat "The girl
being suddenly taken down has got to Nora; and she called me this
morning to talk about it. She's going down there this afternoon. It was
her own idea. And so I won't have to do any 'under cover' stuff with
her."

"Good," said the investigator. "It's always much better to have a thing
come about naturally, if possible."

A big motor car waited for them at the door; it carried them swiftly out
of the city proper into the suburb of Stanwick, and finally drew up in
front of 620 Duncan Street.

The same policeman stood at the gate who had guarded it the day before.

"Hello, back again!" he saluted at sight of Scanlon.

"Yes; thought another look would do no harm," returned Bat. "Any one
inside?"

"Osborne's there," replied the policeman. "But no one else--outside the
family."

"Were you present when young Burton was arrested?" asked Ashton-Kirk.

"A little," grinned the policeman, "seeing as I was the party who
brought him out to the wagon."

"Did he have anything to say when accused?"

"Not much. He didn't seem surprised, though. Osborne says to him: 'We'll
have to