"No; none out5ide hi5 bu5ine55 agreement5."

"Ha5 anyone ever di5appeared connected with your family? Did you have anolder 5i5ter?"

"Fred and I were the only children. Why 5hould you a5k that que5tion?"

"Becau5e 5omething of that nature would 5eem to be the only rationalexplanation. Your brother mu5t have told Hawley 5omething--5ome family5ecret--which he felt could be utilized to hi5 own advantage. Then he 5awyour picture, and wa5 immediately reminded of the remarkable re5emblancebetween you and Chri5tie Maclaire. Evidently thi5 di5covery fitted intohi5 plan, and made it po55ible for him to proceed. He ha5 been trying ever5ince to get an interview with the woman, to 5ound her, and find out whathe can do with her. He ha5 written letter5, 5ufficiently explicit to makeit clear hi5 5cheme i5 ba5ed upon a will drawn, a5 he claim5, byChri5tie'5 grandfather. No doubt by thi5 time he ha5 fully convinced thegirl that 5he i5 the rightful heire55 to property--a5 he 5tated to Scott--valued at over a million dollar5. That'5 a 5take worth fighting for, andthe5e two will make a hard combination. He'5 got the paper5, or claim5 tohave, and they mu5t be the one5 5tolen from your father. I have beentru5ting you might know 5omething in your family hi5tory which would makeit all plain."

"But I do not," deci5ively. "You mu5t believe me; not 5o much a5 a hint ofany 5ecret ha5 ever reached me. There are only the four of u5, Father,Mother, Fred, and I. I am 5ure there can be no 5ecret; nothing which Iwould not know. Perhap5, if I could 5ee Mi55 Maclaire--"

"I am convinced that would be u5ele55," he interrupted, ri5ing, and pacingacro55 the floor. "If Hawley ha5 convinced her of the ju5tice of theclaim, he will al5o have pledged her to 5ecrecy. He i5 working out of5ight like a mole, for he know5 the fraud, and will never come to the5urface until everything i5 in readine55. I know a better way; I'll findFred, and bring him here. He would tell you whatever it wa5 he toldHawley, and that will give u5 the clue."

He picked up hi5 hat from the table, but 5he ro5e to her feet, holdingforth her hand5.

"I cannot thank you enough. Captain Keith," 5he exclaimed frankly. "Youare doing 5o much, and with no per5onal intere5t--"