appeared rather as an angel of light.

Now, at his somewhat feeble remark in reply to her query, the
childish face grew as hard as its curving contours would permit.

"Sir!" she cried indignantly. Her little head was thrown back in
scornful reproof, and she turned a shoulder toward the official
contemptuously.

"Now, now!" Burke exclaimed in remonstrance. After all, he could
not be brutal with this guileless maiden. He must, however, make
the situation clear to her, lest she think him a beast--which
would never do!

"You see, young lady," he went on with a gentleness of voice and
manner that would have been inconceivable to Dacey and Chicago
Red; "you see, the fact is that, even if you were introduced to
this Mary Turner by young Mr. Gilder, this same Mary Turner
herself is an ex-convict, and she's just been arrested for
murder."

At the dread word, a startling change was wrought in the girl.
She wheeled to face the Inspector, her slender body swaying a
little toward him. The rather heavy brows were lifted slightly
in a disbelieving stare. The red lips were parted, rounded to a
tremulous horror.

"Murder!" she gasped; and then was silent.

"Yes," Burke went on, wholly at ease now, since he had broken the