“Because in a way I was responsible for the death of that girl. Oh, I do not want to go into it at all, please.” “Well, never mind that part of it, then. Tell me something about the girl herself. You can have no objections to that, can you?” “No; only it pains me to speak of it at all. She lived near to where I did, and where Jimmy did—or Howard, as I called him in those days.” “Yes.” “She was two years younger than I, but was more developed, and looked and appeared that much my elder. She was a beauty, and, strangely enough, since you will have it so, she was a pronounced brunette. Need I tell you her name?” “Only her given name, at the present time, and unless there is need of it, I will not ask for the other one.” “Her given name was Sarah, and that name became changed to Siren, which was appropriate in every way. Everybody who knew her called her Siren, and even the servants addressed her as the Lady Siren. I suppose, really it came from that fact that the average cockney English servant pronounce the letter A like the letter I. They say tyke for take, and sy for say, and so they called her Lady Syra, for Lady Sarah, and Lady Syra became Lady Siren. That is the only way in which I can explain it.” “I think it a very reasonable explanation. She was beautiful as a child?” “Wondrously so. But I don’t see why we need speak of her at all.” “Only because I have the notion that this woman, who is now Jimmy’s wife, is associated in some manner with that early life of his. I may be all wrong as to that view of it, but at least I want to try it out.” “But this particular girl cannot be, I tell you. She is dead—more than ten years.” “And Jimmy has been dead—how long? Yet he is alive. I will ask you just one more question about this Siren, and if you can reply to it satisfactorily, I will drop the subject. The question is this: Did she die in quite a natural manner, and at her home, or——” Nan raised one hand as if to ward off a blow; then she replied: “No. She did not. I see that I must tell you about it.” “Please,” replied the detective. CHAPTER XVI. GOING AFTER JUNO. The tale that Nan told to the detective was given without names, or localities, more than those already given here; and the story need not be repeated in detail. It was the story of a highborn girl, left motherless at her birth, and fatherless within a few years thereafter, who is left to the care of governess and servants, and allowed to run wild and to develop a thoroughly willful nature to its fullest extent.