live ef it takes that long to
pay yer bill, an' I have a notion she may have some money herself,
though she didn't say nothin' about it. But there's a ring she left with
me to sell, to pay fer what I gave her. It oughtta be worth somethin'.
It looks real. I ain't sold it. I couldn't. I thought she might want it
sometime----"

But Reyburn interrupted her excitedly.

"Do you mean to say that Miss Stanhope is in the city and you know where
she is?"

"Now, don't get excited," warned Jane coolly. "I didn't say she was in
this city, did I? I didn't say where she was, did I? I said she was
safe."

"But are you aware that you have told me a very strange story? What
proof can you give me that it is true?"

Jane looked at him indignantly.

"Say, I thought you was goin' to trust me? I have to trust you, don't I?
Course you don't know who I am, an' I haven't told you, but I've got a
good p'sition myself, an' I don't go round tellin' privarications! An'
there's the weddin' dress, an' veil and fixin's! I got them. You can see
'em if you like,--that is pervided I know what you're up to! I ain't
taking any chances till I see what you mean to do."

"I beg your pardon," said Reyburn, trying to smile assurance once more.
"You certainly must own this whole thing is enough to make anybody
doubt."

"Yes, it is," said Jane. "I was some upset myself, havin' a thing like
that happen to me, a real millionairess bride drop herself down on my
hands just like that, an' I 'spose it _is_ hard to b'lieve. But I can't
waste much more time now. I gotta get back to my job. Is there anything
can be done to keep 'em from gettin' her again?"

"I should most certainly think so," said Reyburn, "but I would have to
know her side of the story, the whole of it, before I could say just
what!"

"Well, s'pose you found there wasn't anythin' you could do to help her,
would you go an' tell on her?"

Reyburn leaned back in his chair and smiled at his unique client:

"I shall have to quote your own language. 'What do you take me for?'"

"A white man!" said Jane suddenly, and showed all her fine teeth in an
engaging smile. "Say, you're all right. Now, I gotta go. When will you
tell me what you can do?" She glanced anxiously at her little
leather-bound wrist watch. It was almost time for Jimmie to return.
Jimmie mustn't find her here. He wouldn't understand, and what Jimmie
didn't know wouldn't hurt him.

"Well, this ought to be attended to, at once, i