ind。　A　chance　remark　of　Knighton's；　uttered　by　the　secretary　in　all　unconsciousness；　had　given　rise　to　it。　It　now　festered　unseen；　gradually　reaching　further　and　further　forward　into　Van　Aldin's　consciousness；　until　at　last；　in　spite　of　himself　he　had　to　yield　to　its　insistence。

He　listened　to　what　Knighton　was　saying　with　his　usual　air　of　keen　attention；　but　in　reality　not　one　word　of　it　perated　his　mind。　He　nodded　automatically；　however；　and　the　secretary　turned　to　some　other　paper。

As　he　was　sorting　them　out；　his　employer　spoke：

〃Do　you　mind　telling　me　that　over　again；　Knighton？〃

For　a　moment　Knighton　was　at　a　loss。

〃You　mean　about　this；　sir？〃　He　held　up　a　closely　written　pany　report。

〃No；　no；〃　said　Van　Aldin；　〃what　you　told　me　about　seeing　Ruth's　maid　in　Paris　last　night。　I　can't　make　it　out。　You　must　have　been　mistaken。〃

〃I　can't　have　been　mistaken；　sir；　I　actually　spoke　to　her。〃

〃Well；　tell　me　the　whole　thing　again。〃

Knighton　plied。

〃I　had　fixed　up　the　deal　with　Barthermers；〃　he　explained；　〃and　had　gone　back　to　the　Ritz　to　pick　up　my　traps　preparatory　to　having　dinner　and　catching　the　nine　o'clock　train　from　the　Gare　du　Nord。　At　the　reception　desk　I　sars　Kettering's　maid。　I　went　up　to　her　and　asked　if　Mrs　Kettering　was　staying　there。〃

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Van　Aldin。　〃Of　course。　Naturally。　And　she　told　you　that　Ruth　had　gone　on　to　the　Riviera　and　had　sent　her　to　the　Ritz　to　await　further　orders　ther