he lodgeth, I lodgeth. His knowledge is my knowledge, and his tricks,
my salvation.'

"'You make me sick, Kirke. Why don't you talk sense?'

"'He is crooked, Connie, and everybody knows it. But it is no cinch
catching him at it. Smithson is going to be elected and Matters knows
it. But the only way I can keep out of that trial is to get something
on Matters. So whenever he is out, I am out on the same road. He is
going toward New London this afternoon and so are we. I have got just
five more days and you must be a good little scout and go driving with
me, so he won't catch on that I am sleuthing him. He will think I am
just beauing you around in the approved Mount Mark style.'

"Sure enough after a while we came across Matters talking to a couple
of farmers on the cross roads, and Kirke and I stopped a quarter of a
mile farther down and ate sandwiches and told stories, and when Matters
passed us a little later he could have sworn we were there just for our
joy in each other's company. But we did not learn anything.

"The next day we were out again, with no better luck. But the third
day about four in the afternoon, Kirke called me on the telephone.
There was subtle excitement in his voice.

"'Come for a drive, Connie?' he asked; common words, but there was a
world of hidden invitation, of secret lure, in his voice for me.

"'Yes, gladly,' I said. Father did not nod approvingly and Aunt Grace
did not smile this time. Three days in succession was a little too
warm even for a newly made pillar, but they said nothing and Kirke and