“You need have no fear for me.”

“You will not go to Rigby’s to-night?”

“I may go down there.”

“And invite your doom?”

The detective smiled as he answered: 

“I can depend upon you?”

“How depend upon me?”

“You will not give any information against me!”

“I certainly will not.”

“You must not know anything about me when you are questioned, but you can suggest that, possibly, I have become seared, and slid away.”

“Why do you not go?”

“Go! why, my child, I’m getting right down to the business that brought me here; in a few days I’ll have matters dead to rights; and, while I think of it, let me warn you, do not let Tom Pearce go off any more.”

“He does not go off nowadays.  He has not been off in the yacht for a year.  He is getting too old.”

“Give him a warning.”

“How warn him?”

“Tell him to lay low, that the officers have got all the points down good, and are about to close in; tell him he’ll be safe if he lies quiet close from this time out.”

“I will warn him; but, alas! it’s you who should take warning.  You know not your peril?”

“We will drop that matter for the present.  I have only one more word to say:  You must know nothing about me, under any circumstances whatever; you must never seek to communicate with me, unless I first address you.”

“I do not understand.”

“It is not necessary for you to understand; you are a girl of ready wit; a general command to you is sufficient.  I have good reasons for my request.  I am amply able to take care of myself under all circumstances; my fear, as I told you, is for you.  And now, to change the subject, have you any intimate friend, save your father?”

“Not one.”

“Can I claim to be a friend of yours?”

The girl answered promptly: 

“You have already proven yourself a friend.”

“You remember the words addressed to you by Sol Burton?”

“Yes.”

“That fellow, I am satisfied, has no information for you.”

“I have so decided in my own mind.”

“Will you confide in me as a friend?”

“I will!” came the ready reply.

“I have reason to know that there is a mystery connected with your committal, years ago, to the care of Mrs. Pearce.”

“I know that myself.”

“I can solve that mystery if you permit me to do so.”

“I believe you can aid me; but if you go to Rigby’s to-night you can never do service far me; these men will make good their threat!”

“We will not talk about me now; we will talk about you, and I wish to ask you one question:  Were you with Mrs. Pearce when she died”

“I was.”

“Did she succeed in making any communication”

“She did not.”

“Not even one word?”

“She only succeeded in saying, ’Renie, I have something important to tell you;’ then her tongue became paralyzed, and she never spoke again.”