"You are a sharp fellow," answered Graham. "Just what I say to myself.
Why else should I be instructed to go to such expense in finding her out?
Most likely, if one can't trace her, or her children born before the date
named, any such moneys will go to some one else; and that some one else,
whoever he be, has commissioned my employer to find out. But I don't
imagine any sum due to her or her heirs can be much, or that the matter
is very important; for, if so, the thing would not be carelessly left in
the hands of one of the small fry like myself, and clapped in along with
a lot of other business as an off-hand job."

"Will you tell me who employed you?"

"No, I don't feel authorized to do that at present; and I don't see the
necessity of it. It seems to me, on consideration, a matter for the
police to ferret out; only, as I asked before, how should I get at the
police?"

"That is not difficult. It is just possible that I might help you better
than any lawyer or any detective."

"Why, did you ever know this Louise Duval?"

"Excuse me, Monsieur Lamb; you refuse me your full confidence; allow me
to imitate your reserve."

"Oho!" said Graham; "shut up as close as you like; it is nothing to me.
Only observe, there is this difference between us, that I am employed by
another. He does not authorize me to name him, and if I did commit that
indiscretion, I might lose my bread and cheese. Whereas you have