that his interest was in no wise lessened.

"What kind of a looking girl was this?" he asked, hurrying up to Mrs.
Daniels who had withdrawn into a recess in the lower hall while all
this was going on. "Describe her to me, hair, eyes, complexion, etc.;
you know."

"I--I--don't know as I can," she stammered reluctantly, turning very
red in the face. "I am a poor one for noticing. I will call one of
the girls, I--" She was gone before we realized she had not finished
her sentence.

"Humph!" broke from Mr. Gryce's lips as he thoughtfully took down a
vase that stood on a bracket near by and looked into it.

I did not venture a word.

When Mrs. Daniels came back she had with her a trim-looking girl of
prepossessing appearance.

"This is Fanny," said she; "she knows Emily well, being in the habit
of waiting on her at table; she will tell you what you want to hear.
I have explained to her," she went on, nodding towards Mr. Gryce with
a composure such as she had not before displayed; "that you are
looking for your niece who ran away from home some time ago to go
into some sort of service."

"Certainly, ma'am," quoth that gentleman, bowing with mock admiration
to the gas-fixture. Then carelessly shifting his glance to the
cleaning-cloth which Fanny held rather conspicuously in her hand, he