I gave her the third story back, Mr. Blake;" replied that woman,
nervously eyeing his face. "It was large and light for sewing, and she
was so nice--"

He impatiently waved his hand on which he had by this time fitted his
glove to a nicety, as if these details were an unnecessary bore to him,
and motioned her to show the way. Instantly a new feeling appeared to
seize her, that of alarm.

"I hardly think you need trouble Mr. Blake to go up-stairs," she
murmured, turning towards Mr. Gryce. "I am sure when you tell him the
curtains were torn, and the chair upset, the window open and--"

But Mr. Gryce was already on the stairs with Mr. Blake, whom this small
opposition seemed to have at once determined.

"O my God!" she murmured to herself, "who could have foreseen this."
And ignoring my presence with all the egotism of extreme agitation, she
hurried past me to the room above, where I speedily joined her.

CHAPTER III. THE CONTENTS OF A BUREAU DRAWER

Mr. Blake was standing in the centre of the room when I entered,
carelessly following with his eyes the motion of Mr. Gryce's finger as
that gentleman pointed with unwearying assiduity to the various little
details that had struck us. His hat was still in his hand, and he
presented a very formidable and imposing appearance, or so Mrs. Daniels
appeared to think as she stood watching him from the corner, whither she
had withdrawn herself.

"A forcible departure you see," exclaimed Mr. Gryce; "she had not even
time to gather up her clothes;" and with a sudden movement he stooped
and pulled out one of the bureau drawers before the eyes of his
nonchalant listener.

Immediately a smothered exclamation struck our ears, and Mrs. Daniels
started forward.

"I pray, gentlemen," she entreated, advancing in such a way as to place
herself against the front of the bureau in a manner to preclude the
opening of any more drawers, "that you will remember that a modest woman
such as this girl was, would hardly like to have her clothing displayed
before the eyes of strangers."

Mr. Gryce instantly closed the drawer.

"You are right," said he; "pardon the rough ways of a somewhat hardened
officer of the law."

She drew up closer to the bureau, still protecting it with her meagre
but energetic form while her eyes rested with almost a savage expression
upon the master of the house as if he, and not the detective, had been
the aggressor whose advances she feared.

Mr. Blake did no