heads generally muss things right
up. All my life I've been trying to fit things that don't fit, and I
find, if you're to succeed, you've got to do it to yourself, and by
yourself. It always takes a big lot of thinking which nobody else can
follow. Maybe your way of thinking is different from other folks, and
so they can't understand, and that's why they can't follow it. Now
here's a bit of lace, and there's a sleeve. The lace is short by an
inch. Still there's ways and ways of fixing it, but only one right
way. If I make the sleeve smaller the lace will fit, but poor Helen
won't get her arm through it. If I tack on a bit more lace it'll muss
the job, and make it look bad. Then there's other ways, too,
but--there's only one right way." She dropped the lace in her basket
and began to fold the garment. "I'll get some new lace that does fit,"
she declared emphatically.

Fyles nodded, but the amusement died out of his eyes.

"All of which is sound sense," he said seriously, "and is leading us
toward controversial--er--subjects. Eh?"

Kate raised a pair of shoulders with pretended indifference. But her
eyes were smiling that challenge which Stanley Fyles always associated
with her.

"Not a bad thing when the police are getting so very busy, and--you
are their chief in the district," she said.

"I must once more remark, you are well informed," smiled Fyles.

"And I must once more remark not as well informed as I could wish,"
retorted Kate quickly.

Fyles had permitted his gaze to wander down the wooded course of the
river. Kate was watching him closely, speculatively. And curious
enough she was thinking more of the man than his work at that moment.

The man's eyes came back abruptly to her face, and her expression was
instantly changed to one of smiling irony.

"Well?" she demanded.

Fyles shook his head.

"It isn't," he said. "May I ask how you know we are--so very busy?"

"Sure," cried Kate, with a frank laugh. "You see, I have two of the
worst scamps in the valley working for me, and they seem to think it
more than necessary that they keep themselves posted as to--your
movements."

"I see." Fyles's lighter mood had entirely passed, and with its going
Kate's became more marked. "I s'pose they spy out everything for the
benefit of their--chief."

Kate clapped her hands.

"What reasoning. I s'pose they have a chief?" she added slyly.

A frown of irritation crossed the policeman's brow.

"Must we open up