"Come here!" cried Diana, seizing his arm and dragging him to a window.
"Be careful; try to look out without showing yourself. Do you see that
man on the corner?"

"Well?"

"He has been patrolling this house since day-break. He's a detective!"

Charlie whistled.

"What makes you think so, Di? Why on earth should they suspect you?"

"Why? Because my disreputable cousin planned the abduction, without
consulting me, and--"

"Oh, come, Di; that's a little too--"

"Because the girl has been carried to the Von Taer house--_my_ house--in
East Orange; because my own servant is at this moment her jailor, and--"

"How should they know all this?" interrupted Mershone, impatiently. "And
how do you happen to know it yourself, Diana?"

"Madame Cerise called me up at five o'clock, just after Louise's uncle
had been here for the second time, with a crew of officers. Cerise is in
an ugly mood. She said a young girl had been brought to her a prisoner,
and Mr. Mershone's orders were to keep her safely until he came. She is
greatly provoked at our using her in this way, but promised to follow
instructions if I accepted all responsibility."