unmistakably
forced, and a keen ear for such things would have detected a pathetic
little catch in it.

"Now," she said, "you are becoming mysterious. However, I suppose I
must not complain, for it is entirely in character with your
profession, isn't it?"

He disregarded both the observation and the tone; there was a slight
pucker between his keen eyes that spoke of impatience and resentment.

"Mr. Osborne has been very plain with you, Miss Vale," said he, "you
have perhaps become accustomed to it in a measure. So I shall not
hesitate to follow in his footsteps. I am going to make you face some
very plain facts."

"Mercy!" She laughed. "Mercy, Mr. Ashton-Kirk. I had not thought that
you could be so deliberately cruel!"

"In the first place, Miss Vale," he began, paying not the slightest
attention to her laughter or the mocking light in her eyes, "if you
had continued as you began, this matter would have been cleared up
before this, the newspapers would never have printed your name in
connection with it, and you would have been spared the mortification
of a detective at your doorstep."

"Is there one--outside?"

"There are several. If you venture out you will be followed wherever
you go."

The girl sank into a chair in a limp, rumpled sort of way; somehow the
idea of surveillance affected her more than anything else. Her face
became ashen; her hands shook distressfully as she clasped them
tightly together.

"When you allowed the fears and desires of Allan Morris to cloud your
reason, you made a mistake. You admitted as much when you came to me
after the murder; but instantly, upon seeing him again, you were as
before. He was struck with fear, and he communicated his terror to
you; as before you dreaded to trust anyone--even myself."

"I think you are inclined to take a great deal for granted," said Miss
Vale. But in spite of the words, her eyes were wide with alarm.

"He told you of the deaf-mute, Locke," said Ashton-Kirk; "and also
other things, which seem to have induced you to visit Locke at the
Institute near Cordova on the night before last."

Miss Vale elevated her brows in surprise; her attitude was one of
wonderment.

"I don't think I understand."

"And you did not seem to understand yesterday when I called upon you.
You fancied that I was not sure that I had seen you, and had come
expecting you to admit the visit to Locke. And as I went away, you
also fancied that you had thrown me off the sc