“I am,” he said, and the peaceful, joyous look that had come into his eyes when he had landed his fish gave way to a hard and professional stare.

“Oh, Colonel Brentnall!  I’ve come to ask you to help me—­help him!  You will, won’t you?  Don’t say you won’t!”

The girl’s face, her blue eyes, the outstretched hands, the very poise of her lithe, young body voiced the appeal.

“My dear young lady,” began the colonel.  But she interrupted with: 

“You’re the detective, aren’t you?”

“Well—­er—­I—­Say rather a detective, for there are many, and I am only one.”

“But you are the one from New York?”

“I am though I don’t know how you guessed it.  I am not here professionally, though—­in fact, I’ve practically retired—­and I would much prefer—­”

“But you wouldn’t refuse to help any one who needed it, would you?  You wouldn’t, I’m sure!” and the girl smiled through the tears in her blue eyes.

“Oh, of course, as a matter of humanity, I would not refuse to help any one.  But, professionally—­well, really, I’m not here in my detective role.  I really can not consider anything at this time.  I don’t want to seem harsh, or impolite, but I can’t—­”

“Not even for double your usual fee?  Listen!  I am prepared to pay well for anything you can do for me—­and him.  My father is well off.  I have money in my own right.  I’d spend the last dollar of that.  And dad said, when I told him where I was going—­Dad said he’d do the same.  We both believe Jimmie is innocent, and we want to prove it to everybody as soon as we can.  That’s why I came right on to see you.  I couldn’t wait!  Oh, perhaps I did wrong, coming this way—­I’m sorry if I’ve spoiled your fishing.  But this is such—­such a big thing—­it means so much to him—­to me!  I—­I—­”

She faltered, looking from Shag to the colonel and then to the sympathetic colored man again, for on his face was a look of pity.

“How did you know I was here?” asked Colonel Ashley.

“I went to your hotel.  The clerk told me you had come to this stream.  It’s the only good one for trout around here besides the one on my father’s farm.”

“Has your father a trout stream?” and the eyes of the colonel took on a kindly gleam.

“He has, and it’s well stocked.  But please, won’t you help me?  You are the only one who can!”

“I’m not sure of that, my dear young lady.  And, really, I hardly understand what it’s all about.  You say the hotel clerk told you I was here.  I can understand that, for I asked him the best way to reach this place.  But how did you know I was a detective and stopping at the Adams House?”

“He told me!” She pointed to the lanky youth.

The colonel and Shag turned their eyes on him.  Shag gave a start of surprise.  The colonel began to leaf over the brain tablets of his memory system.  He was beginning to place the lad.