“Naw, I didn’t sign nothin’; he didn’t have no ticket.”

“Then he wasn’t a messenger at all,” was the reply, “and you are a big dunce, Sam Watkins, that you didn’t know it!”

“Well, I thought it was straight, anyhow,” whispered the boy.  “How was I to guess that some one was tryin’ to pisen Miss Marvin?”

Ben Tyler took the box carefully and replaced the wrapper; then, telling Sam to follow, he went straight to Mr. Denton’s office.

“Now, Sam, tell Mr. Denton exactly what you have told me,” said the detective, after he had stated what had happened.

Sam repeated his story without the slightest variation.  Mr. Denton cross-questioned him, but there was nothing further to learn.  A boy had handed the box to Sam and told him to give it to Miss Faith Marvin.

After Mr. Denton and the detective had examined the candy carefully they held a consultation as to what should be done about it.

“We must have it analyzed at once,” said Mr. Denton, anxiously.  “That is the only way of proving the matter.”

The detective nodded.  He knew that came first, but it needed no analysis to convince him that the candy was poisoned.

“Has she ever received a similar box that you know of?” asked Mr. Denton.

The detective hesitated for a moment.  He hardly knew how to tell him.

“I believe she has, sir,” he said, after a minute; “but I would advise you to ask the young woman herself, for I can only repeat what may be idle gossip.”

“You are right,” said Mr. Denton, touching an electric button and sending the boy who answered to the department for Miss Marvin.

In less than five minutes Faith entered the office, but before he came the detective slipped a newspaper over the box of poisoned candy, and a nod of the head showed that Mr. Denton understood and approved of the movement.

“Miss Marvin,” said Mr. Denton, “I wish you to answer a question:  Are you in the habit of receiving boxes of candy as presents?”

With Mr. Gunning’s remarks still burning in her brain, Faith could not help blushing at this unexpected question.

She finally controlled herself and answered firmly: 

“I have never received but two boxes since I entered your employ, sir—­one a few days ago and the other this morning.”

“What did you do with the candy?” asked her employer again.

“I gave the first box to a cash girl who works in my department, and the other I gave to Sam.  I didn’t even open them.”

“Why did you not open them?” asked the detective, sharply.

Faith glanced at Mr. Denton a moment before replying.

“Yes, why did you not open them?  Are you not fond of candy, Miss Marvin?”

“I like it, yes, sir,” was Faith’s slow answer; “but the gift was unexpected.  In fact, sir, I did not want it, and so I gave away the candy because I objected to the giver.”