“But when he answered ‘No’ to Edyth’s earnest question as to whether he were acquainted with you, she lost interest; and when I promptly furnished the information that I was, he was forgotten.  During the remainder of the dinner I had time for little else but Edyth’s questions.  When she learned that you had taken up investigation as a sort of profession, she was quite delighted, and before we parted I was asked to arrange a consultation.”

“She will be here this morning, then?” asked Ashton-Kirk.

Pendleton once more looked at his watch.

“Within a very few minutes,” said he.

CHAPTER II

MISS EDYTH VALE STATES HER CASE

It was exactly three minutes later when the continuous tooting of a horn told of the approach of another motor car along the crowded street.  Then the door-bell rang.

Ashton-Kirk arose and touched one of a series of buttons in the wall.  Almost instantly a buzzer made sharp reply.  He lifted a tube.

“If it is Miss Edyth Vale,” spoke he, “show her up.”

A little later a knock came upon the door.  The grave faced German opened it, ushering in an astonishingly lovely girl; tall, most fashionably attired and with a manner of eager anxiety.  Both men arose.

“Considering that you are under twenty-five,” said Pendleton, “you are remarkably prompt in keeping your engagements, Edyth.”

But the girl did not answer his smile.  There was a troubled look in her brown eyes; she tugged nervously at her gloves to get them off.

“This is Mr. Ashton-Kirk?” she asked.

“It is,” answered Pendleton.  “Kirk, this is my cousin, Edyth Vale.”

Ashton-Kirk gave the girl a chair; she sat down, regarding him all the time with much interest.  The gloves were removed by now; but she continued plucking at the empty fingers and drawing them through her hands.

“I have heard of you quite frequently,” said she to Ashton-Kirk, “but did not dream that I would ever be forced to benefit by your talents.  Mr. Pendleton has been kind enough to arrange this interview at my request; and I desire to consult you upon a most important matter—­a very private matter.”

Pendleton caught the hesitating glance which she threw at him and reached for his hat.

“Edyth,” said he, “after all I have done for you, this is very distressing.  I had not expected to be bundled out in this manner.”

She smiled faintly, and nodded.

“Thank you, Jimmie,” she said.  “You are a nice boy.”

After Pendleton had gone, Miss Vale sat for some moments in silence; and all the time her eyes went from one part of the room to another, curiously; she seemed to be trying to estimate the man whom she came to consult by his surroundings.

At one side, rank on rank of books ran from floor to ceiling; others were scattered about in chairs, on stands and on the floor.  At one spot the wall was racked with glittering, and to her, strange looking instruments.  An open door gave a glimpse of a second apartment with bare, plastered wall, fitted with tables covered with sheet lead and cluttered with tanks, grotesquely swelling retorts, burners, jars and other things that make up a complete laboratory.