th
politeness.

"But Uncle Haddon told me once that if ever I needed a--a detective I
should come to you," the young woman continued. "You knew Uncle
Haddon, Mr. Gubb?"

"I had the pleasure of being known to and knowing of him," said Mr.
Gubb.

"My name is Dolly O'Hara! I am his niece."

"Glad to make your acquaintance, ma'am," said Philo Gubb, and he shook
hands gravely.

"He gave me my dog," said Miss O'Hara. "He gave him to me when the dog
was just a puppy, and he called him Waffles. He used to joke about my
loving the dog more than I loved him. He used to say--"

Miss O'Hara wiped her eyes. For a moment she could not speak.

"He used to say," she continued in a moment, "that I'd never break my
heart over a lost uncle, but that if I lost Waffles I'd die of grief.
It wasn't so, of course. But I'm heart-broken to have Waffles gone. He
is all I'll have to remember Uncle Haddon by. And then--to have
him--go!"

"I should take it a pleasure to be employed upon a case to fetch him
back," said Mr. Gubb.

"Oh, would you?" cried Miss O'Hara. "I'm so glad! I was afraid a--a
real detective might not want to bother with a dog. Of course I'll
pay--"

"The remuneration will be minimum on account of the smallness of the
crime under the statutes made and provided," said Mr. Gubb.

"But you must let me pay!" urged Miss O'Hara. "One of the things Uncle
Haddon said was, 'If you ever lose that dog, Dolly, hire Detective
Gubb. Understand? He's a wonderful detective. He'll leave no stone
unturned. He'll find your dog. He'll pry the roof off the dog-house to
find a flea, and when he's found the flea he'll hunt up a blond dog to
match it. Remember,' he said, 'if you lose the dog, get Gubb.'"

"I consider the compliment the highest form of flattery," said Mr.
Gubb.

"So I want you to try to find Waffles, please, if it isn't beneath you
to hunt a dog," said Miss O'Hara. "How much will you charge to find
Waffles, Mr. Gubb?"

"I'd ought to have five dollars--" Mr. Gubb began doubtfully.

"Of course!" exclaimed Miss O'Hara. "Why, I expected to pay far more."

"Well and good," said Mr. Gubb. "And now, how aged was the dog when he
was purloined away from you?"

Philo Gubb secured a complete history of the dog. Miss O'Hara had
brought, also, two photographs of Waffles in pleasing poses, and when
she left, Mr. Gubb accompanied her to the late home of Waffles. It was
there he gathered the clues over which he was poring with his