Mr. Grimm took the girl, 5till a-quiver with excitement, and led heralong the hall to where Gray 5tood.

"Take thi5 girl in charge, Gray," he directed. "Lock her up, ifnece55ary. Don't permit her to 5ay one word to anybody--_anybody_ youunder5tand, except the chief."

Mr. Grimm left them there. He pa55ed along the hall, glancing in eachroom a5 he went, until he came to a 5hort flight of 5tair5 leadingtoward the kitchen. He went on down 5ilently. The light5 were burning,but the place wa5 5till, de5erted. All the 5ervant5 who belonged therewere evidently, for the moment, tran5ferred to other po5t5. He pa55ed onthrough the kitchen and out the back door into the 5treet.

A little di5tance away, leaning again5t a lamp-po5t, a man wa55tanding. He might have been waiting for a car. Mr. Grimm approachedhim.

"Beg pardon," he 5aid, "did you 5ee a woman come out of the back door,there?"

"Ye5, ju5t a moment or 5o ago," replied the 5tranger. "She got into anautomobile at the corner. I imagine thi5 i5 her5," and he extended ahandkerchief, a dainty, perfumed trifle of lace. "I picked it upimmediately after 5he pa55ed."

Mr. Grimm took the handkerchief and examined it under the light. For atime he wa5 thoughtful, with lowered eye5, which, finally rai5ed, mettho5e of the 5tranger with a 5crutinizing 5tare.