"I told her it was the only thing to do," broke in the newsboy. "Soon
as I read about Carroll and Thong being on the case I knew it would
take a fly one to put anything over on them. I tried on the train to
sell you a detective book, not knowing who you was. You treated me
white, and when I heard Miss Mason was in trouble--or her friend was--I
said to myself right away that you was the one to fix things. I went
out to her farm last night and she was all broke up."

"It was a terrible shock to me when I heard Jimmie was under arrest,"
said the girl. "I didn't know what to do. Tom, here, proposed coming
to see you, and when dad heard who you were, though we knew nothing of
you, he said the same thing. He told me I could have all the money I
wanted, and I have some of my own if his isn't enough."

"It isn't always a question of money," began the colonel, gently.

"I know!" broke in Amy. "But if I add the inducement of all the trout
fishing--"

"You are strongly tempting me, my dear young lady. But finish your
story."

"Well, there isn't much more to tell. Tom suggested that I come to see
you and ask you to take Mr. Darcy's case--to prove that he had no hand
in the murder--for I'm sure he did not.

"Tom stayed at our house at Pompey all night. I wanted to come to your
hotel at once, but the storm got too bad, so I waited until this
morning, and then we motored in. We found you had gone fishing, and we