Euston of Lane's visit. But ask her if she will keep an eye out
for that woman she heard talking--and the man, too. They may drop
in again. And tell her that if she hears anything else, no matter
how trivial, about Barnes, she must let me know."

I was glad of the commission. Not only had I been unable to arrive
anywhere in my conjectures, but it was something even to have a
chance to talk with a girl like Maude Euston.

Fortunately I found her at home and, though she was rather
disappointed that I had nothing to report, she received me
graciously, and we spent the rest of the evening watching the
varied life of the fashionable hostelry in the hope of chancing on
the holders of the strange conversation in the tea-room.

Once in a while an idea would occur to her of some one who was in
a position to keep her informed if anything further happened to
Barnes, and she would despatch a messenger with a little note.
Finally, as it grew late and the adventuress of the tea-room
episode seemed unlikely to favor the St. Germaine with her
presence again that night, I made my excuses, having had the
satisfaction only of having delivered Kennedy's message, without
accomplishing anything more. In fact, I was still unable to
determine whether there was any sentiment stronger than sympathy
that prompted her to come to Kennedy about Barnes. As for Lane,
his name was scarcely mentioned except when it was necessary.

It was early the next morning that I rejoined Craig at the
laboratory. I found him studying the solution which he had
extracted from the blood-soaked gauze after first removing the