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to think of who it might be in my list of acquaintances, but without success. He himself says that I have never seen him.”

I rose. “You'll let me keep these letters, of course?”

“Certainly. And if there is anything else I can do to help you, Mr. Muirhead, you must be sure to call on me. . . .”

“You bet I will. In the meantime, just keep me informed if you get any more notes, or in any other way get word from him, won't you?”

“Yes. Now, I’m tired, and I want to go home,” she smiled at me wearily, like a little child, and I, who should have been full of the thought of what had occurred here tonight was, for that moment, full only of this appealing and charming little girl who seemed to be playing at being grown up.

I took my leave a moment or two later, and went about my investigations.

*****

I worked hard the rest of that evening, and all the next morning, but could make no headway, for the very plain reason that I had absolutely nothing to start with. The first thing I did, of course, was to compare the postmark on the envelopes of these sinister notices, but that did no good for the reason that every one of them was posted from a different section of the city. The paper and envelopes were of the most ordinary kind, such as can be bought in a thou-