apparent reason when one contemplated no sweet alliance was bad enough, but to be discharged when one planned marriage to so charming a creature as Josette La Baum was nothing

at unless he soon obtained another position its dainties wo

serge. "Oh, hello!" she cried pleasantly, bringing up short. Then seeing the puzzled look upon the valet's face, she said: "Don't

ally did for Miss Donovan. "I

t be more to be told, and because she was big-hearted and interested in every one's troubles, she urged him to accompany her to a near-by restaurant and pour

harge?" she quer

partment to straighten things, expecting to be retained in John Cavendish's service. I even did the work in his apartments, but when

ng a warm, consoling hand on the other'

oney at me, he did, told me to get out, that he never wanted to see me again.

face is badly mutilated, you know"; and her alert mind sensed a possibility of a newspaper story back of young Cavendish's unwarranted and strange act. How far could s

y, "would you mind if I aske

he man

what sort of a ma

red almost w

lmost never drank, and then only with quiet men like himself that he met at

sin John," she venture

or you, miss, crazy for the women and his drinking

e was dependent upon

y cent. He could never get enough of it, either, a

y ever q

e was no love lost between them, and I

" Miss Donovan suggested, "an

the day after Mr. Frederick was killed. I was in the hall, and saw her go straight to his door-like she had been there befor

the day after his cousin's murder! But who was she? There were a million carrot-blondes in Man

wear any diamon

y, though. A ruby set in a big platinu

had once been written about the ring, and from what Miss Donovan knew of Miss La Rue, she did not ordinarily seek men; therefore the

he reason she had come in person instead of telephoning? Had her my

ations entered Mi

n the apartment?" s

utes, miss-until after

he body, and could not

y one else what y

my fiancée. Miss La B

further that did not c

s hes

nd her questions brought things into my mind that I might never have thought of other

remark was crashi

dilated with eager

vendish! Mr. Valo

voice fell t

t-from football, he once told me-and the man we laid out, well, of cou

the girl, frightened by th

ms said so, too. Doubting my own mind, I asked h

sprang sudden

story to my city editor, and he'll see that you get a job-a

him in tow hurried through the restaurant to the city streets on one of which was t

ce his metallic eyes snapped with an unusual

and go to this, learn what you can, spend money if you have to. I'll drag Willis off police, and you work with him. An