ed long ago.

Peter put down an English newspaper that he was reading, stretched his
legs on a deck-chair, lighted a cigarette, and, as Mr. Purvis did not
seem inclined to move off, made up his mind to submit to a talk with
him under conditions as comfortable as possible. As an agent Purvis
was possible; but as a companion his melancholy, his indistinct, soft
voice, and the platitudes which he uttered were boring to more
vigorous-minded men.

Purvis took a small and uncomfortable chair near the one in which Peter
was stretched luxuriously, turned his wide-open pale eyes upon the
young man and said, 'I have been thinking a good deal about the story
which you told me some time ago about the child who disappeared out
here in Argentine some twenty-five years since, and has not been heard
of again. It sounds like a romance.'

'Yes,' assented Peter, 'it's an odd tale.'

'I have lived in many parts of Argentine,' said Purvis, 'and one hears
a good deal of gossip amongst all classes of persons, more particularly
I should say amongst a class with whom you and our friend Mr. Ross are
not intimately acquainted.'

Mr. Ogilvie put on an air of detachment, and said he supposed Mr.
Purvis met all sorts and sizes.

'At first,' said Mr. Purvis, 'I did not pay much attention to the story
except to make a few inquiries, such as I thought might be useful to
you. But the other day, by rather an odd coincidence involving matters
which I am not at liberty to divulge, I came across a curious case of a
child who was brought out to Rosario many years ago.'

'What did you hear?' said Peter; he spoke quickly, and with an
impetuous movement sat upright in the deck-chair, and flung away the
end of his cigarette.

'I cannot tell you,' said Purvis, 'how I am hedged about with
difficulties in this matter. For, in the first place, neither you nor
your friend, although you seem interested in the case, have entered
into the matter very fully with me. With that, of course, I shall not
quarrel,' said Mr. Purvis, spreading out his hands in a deprecatory
fashion. 'I only mean to say that before taking any definite steps to
trace this story to its source I must, if you will forgive me, ask
certain questions about the child; and, further, these inquiries which
I propose to make must be conducted with discretion, and are apt to
entail a good deal of expense.'

He paused, and Peter said shortly, 'Of course all expenses will be
paid.'

'It will