“I have another admonition. If you meet Mr. Cass when you go down, be nice to him. Why, when you know him, he is a treasure. I can bear his inquisitiveness, for it shields me from others. This is my sanctuary, and Mr. Cass protects me from the literary wolves--the reporters. He thinks I am a writer because I have so many books, and, to him, an author is next to an angel. Was he rude to you? You must forgive him, for he is my Saint George who protects me from the Dragon.” Quincy was mollified to a certain extent. “Do I look like a Dragon? If I am one, history came near being reversed, for at one time your Saint George's hold on life was frail.” Late in the afternoon of the next day Quincy made another call on Mary. He had telephoned and learned that she was in her room. Mr. Cass was temporarily absent from his desk and Quincy went at once to the elevator. “I axed Mr. Cass about his tongue,” said the elevator man. “Was it better?” asked Quincy. “He said I was labourin' under a misapprihinsion. What's that?” “He meant that it was improving,” said Quincy, as he hurried from the elevator. “How did you get home last night?” was Mary's salutation as he entered. “I groped my way down two flights of stairs in the dark. When I opened the front door by the upper handle as Mr. Cass had kindly instructed me to do, I found that gentleman on the steps. 'Quite late,' said he. 'Not for me,' said I. At that moment my auto drew up at the curb.” “A narrow escape from a Cass-trophe,” exclaimed Miss Dana. “Pardon the pun, but sometimes he is insufferably loquacious.” Quincy smiled grimly. “He wasn't through with me. He followed me. 'My employer.' he began, 'is very tenacious on several points, and one of them is the acceleration of matrimonial preliminaries, commonly called courting, in the house which he owns and successfully conducts with my humble assistance. Will you allow me to ask you a question?' “Alexander had opened the auto door, and I stood with one foot on the step.” Quincy was silent for a moment. Miss Dana's curiosity was excited. “What did he ask you to do?” “His question was--'are you going to marry Miss Dana?'” “Preposterous!” cried Miss Dana. “I shall leave the 'Cawthorne' to-morrow. What answer did you give to so impertinent a question?” “I said, not to-night. Not until to-morrow. Then I jumped in, slammed the door, and off we went leaving Mr. Cass fully informed as to my intentions.” Mary thought, under the circumstances, that a change of subjects was necessary. “I am working on the Harrison case. I don't believe he poisoned his wife. I think the law killed an innocent man.” “Another Robert Wood affair? Have you seen your little namesake, Mary Wood?” “Yes. I am going to spend to-morrow in the laboratory making toxic analyses.” “I've been very busy to-day.” “Not working?” “No, getting ready to. I've bought out an established business.” “You said you disliked business.”