"This? Oh, I found it in the house yonder. It was lying on the
floor of the inner room, almost under Batsy's skirts. Curious sort
of flower. I wonder where she got it?"

The intruder betrayed at once an unaccountable emotion. There was
a strange glitter in his light green eyes that made Abel shift
rather uneasily on his feet. "Was that before this pretty minx you
have just let out came in here with Mr. Sutherland?"

"O yes; before anyone had started for the hill at all. Why, what
has this young lady got to do with a flower dropped by Batsy?"

"She? Nothing. Only--and I have never given you bad advice, Abel--
don't let that thing hang any longer from your buttonhole. Put it
into an envelope and keep it, and if you don't hear from me again
in regard to it, write me out a fool and forget we were ever chums
when little shavers."

The man called Abel smiled, took out the flower, and went to cover
up the grass as Dr. Talbot had requested. The stranger took his
place at the gate, toward which the coroner and Mr. Sutherland
were now advancing, with an air that showed his great anxiety to
speak with them. He was the musician whom we saw secretly entering
the last-mentioned gentleman's house after the departure of the
servants.

As the coroner paused before him he spoke. "Dr. Talbot," said he,
dropping his eyes, which were apt to betray his thoughts too
plainly, "you have often promised that you would give me a job if
any matter came up where any nice detective work was wanted. Don't