She gazed at him uncertainly a moment and the little man smiled
reassuringly. Somehow, she felt inclined to trust him.

"Thank you," she said and took her suit case into the hotel office.

The clerk looked at her rather curiously as she registered, but assigned
her a room and told her that dinner was still being served. She followed
the bellboy to her room, where she brushed her gown, bathed her hands
and face and rearranged her hair. Then she went to the dining room and,
although the journey and worry had left her sick and nervous, she ate
some dinner and felt stronger and better after it.



CHAPTER IX

OFFICER O'GORMAN


Mary Louise returned to her room and sat down to consider the best way
out of her dilemma. The detective's friendliness, so frankly expressed,
pleased her, in a way, yet she realized his vigilance would not be
relaxed and that he was still determined, through her, to discover where
Gran'pa Jim was hidden.

An uncomfortable degree of danger had already been incurred by her
unconsciously leading the officer to Dorfield. He knew now that the man
he was seeking was either in this city or its immediate neighborhood.
But unless she led him to the exact spot--to the dwelling of the
Conants--it would take even this clever detective some time to locate