t probably she was also untruthful in that matter. She is a woman of
a complex nature, and though I admire her in many ways, I shouldn't care
to have much to do with her."

"Let us leave out the personal note, Parmalee," I said, for I was angry
at his attitude toward Florence.

"All right. Don't you think for a moment that I don't see where you
stand with regard to the haughty beauty, but that's neither here nor
there."

"Indeed it isn't," I returned; "and whatever may be my personal feeling
toward Miss Lloyd, I can assure you it in no way influences my work on
this case."

"I believe you, old man; and so I'm sure you will agree with me that
we must follow up the inquiry as to Miss Lloyd's presence in the office
that night. She must be made to talk, and perhaps it would be best to
tell Goodrich all about it, and let him push the matter."

"Oh, no," I cried involuntarily. "Don't set him on the track of the poor
girl. That is, Parmalee, let me talk to her again, first. Now that I
know she was down there that night, I think I can question her in
a little different manner, and persuade her to own the truth. And,
Parmalee, perhaps she was down there because Hall was there."

"Hall! He was in New York."

"So he says, but why should he speak the truth any more than Miss
Lloyd?"

"You, mean they may both be implicated?"

"Yes; or he may have used her as a tool."

"Not Florence Lloyd. She's nobody's tool."

"Any woman might be a tool at the command of the man she loves. But," I
went on, with an air of conviction which was not entirely genuine, "Miss
Lloyd doesn't love Mr. Hall."

"I don't know about that," returned Parmalee; "you can't tell about
a woman like Florence Lloyd. If she doesn't love him, she's at least
putting up a bluff of doing so."

"I believe it is a bluff, though I'm sure I don't know why she should do
that."

"On the other hand, why shouldn't she? For some reason she's dead set
on marrying him, ready to give up her fortune to do so, if necessary. He
must have some sort of a pretty strong hold on her."

"I admit all that, and yet I can't believe she loves him. He's such a
commonplace man."

"Commonplace doesn't quite describe him. And yet Gregory Hall, with all
the money in the world, could never make himself distinguished or worth
while in any way."

"No; and what would Miss Florence Lloyd see in a man like that, to make
her so determined to marry him?"

"I don't think she is determined