notice what she said about his being her
father's friend? What else could he be but middle-aged, and probably
fat?"

"Well, we don't need to call on our imagination for anything," said
Miss Martha coldly. "The facts are sufficient." She turned back to
Judge Trent.

"So there's that young creature, Calvin, our own flesh and blood, alone
in that rattle-te-banging city, without money for all we know, going to
pin her faith to an actor man, and each of us with our homes, closed
against her, as she feels, and you know we _did_ feel so, too, Calvin;
and when I put myself in her place and remember the things she heard me
say, I don't blame her for refusing our advice and help. She's young
and high-strung, and oh, I've made such a mess of it, and,--and,--_say_
something, Calvin Trent!" Miss Lacey made the addition so explosively
that the judge jumped. "Say you'll send some of your detectives to keep
watch of her--quick--to-morrow--before she has a chance to get away
from that hotel and get lost to us!"

Martha suddenly raised her clasped hands to her face, and burying her
eyes in her handkerchief, wept miserably.

Judge Trent cleared his throat, and Dunham stirred and felt his
knowledge weigh upon him guiltily.

"Don't get nervous, Martha," returned the lawyer. "Did you think I kept
a brace of detectives in the back yard? I'm sorry about this. I'm"--

Miss Lacey emerged from the handkerchief as suddenly as she had entered
it. "Oh, the mistake I made--the minute I saw you wouldn't do your part
in this--the mistake I made not to ask Thinkright. I never thought of
him; but it came to me on the cars that he would have been the right
one. I suppose you'd have consented easily enough that Sylvia should go
to the farm; and now--Oh, Mr. Dunham, I can't forgive you for putting
that typhoid fever idea into my head, but if she did have"--

"A farm?" interrupted Dunham quickly, with an interest not lost upon
his employer. "A farm would have been just the thing. Where is it,
Judge Trent?"

"It's a little place I have in Maine. A cousin of mine runs it for me.
So you think, Martha, that I'm below criticism in this whole matter, do
you? That's a rather bright thought of yours about Thinkright."

"But it comes too late," returned Martha excitedly. "How do you know
that Sylvia won't take the night train for the West right off to join
that horrible Nat?"

"Then you think she has money?"

"I don't know. I only know she spurned the