"Of course, Mrs. Schuyler, you have every right to know. And did
Steele say that was Mr. Schuyler's first visit there or merely his
first visit as Mr. Somers?"

"Mr. Steele thought Mr. Schuyler had never been to the house before at
all. But may he not have been mistaken? May not Mr. Schuyler have
known the lady previously--oh, it is such a moil! But, in any case,
Mr. Calhoun, it seems to me that further probing and searching will
only pile up opprobrium on the name of Schuyler, and--I can't stand
it. I am so unused to notoriety or publicity I can't face all the
unpleasantness that must follow! Do help me to avoid it, won't you?"

"I certainly will, if I can. But I fear you ask the impossible, Mrs.
Schuyler. The law will not be stopped in its course by personal
inclinations."

"No, I suppose not. What is it, Tibbetts?"

The last question was addressed to her maid, who appeared at the
doorway. The sad-faced woman looked at her mistress with a mingled air
of deference and commiseration.

"The telephone, ma'am," she said. "I said you were busily engaged, but
it is some young woman who begs to speak to you a moment."

Mrs. Schuyler excused herself and left the room, and Tibbetts,
smoothing down her trim white apron, followed.

"Another would-be secretary," my hostess said, as she returned. "I
don't know how a report that I wanted one travelled so quickly, but