"'Always be observant of even the smallest trifles. A speck of dust may be an important clew to a murder.'" "Harvey!" cried Mrs. Welcome. "Don't be frightened, Mrs. Welcome, just wanted to show you that I mean business." Harvey paused for a moment and regarded her steadily. Then he pointed his finger at her accusingly as he said: "I knew you were washing before you told me!" "You did, Harvey?" "Sure, because you had suds on your apron where you dried your hands." He drew a deep sigh and threw out his chest. "There," he said. "Oh, I guess I'm bad at these lessons, eh?" "You're a good boy, Harvey," replied Mrs. Welcome, indulgently. "Thank you." He bowed. "Oh, perhaps my future mother-in-law and I aren't going to get along fine," he announced to the world in general, exultingly. The roan colt interrupted this rhapsody by pawing impatiently at the ground. Harvey took his order book from his pocket and stuck his stub of lead pencil in his mouth. "Well," he inquired, "how about orders, Mrs. Welcome?" "We--we--need some flour," was the hesitating reply. "A barrel?" suggested Harvey, turning to a fresh page of his order book. "No--no--no--I--I guess ten pounds, and--I guess that's about all, Harvey." "Now you'll excuse me if I doubt your word, Mrs. Welcome," said Harvey, writing down fifty pounds of flour quickly. "Come now, tell me what you do really want." "O, what's the use. We need everything, we--" Mrs. Welcome broke down and began to weep softly as she turned toward the house. "Now hold on, Mrs. Welcome, don't break away from me like that!" Harvey followed her and laid his hand gently on her arm. "I hope Mr. Welcome isn't drinking again. Is he?" "I'm afraid so, Harvey." Mrs. Welcome's frail shoulders quivered as she attempted to restrain her sobs. "Why, Tom hasn't been home for two days and--and our rent is due--and--" Harvey Spencer interrupted with a prolonged whistle which seemed to be the best way he could think of expressing sympathy. A light dawned on him. "That's why young Harry Boland is here from Chicago, to collect the rent, eh?" he inquired. Mrs. Welcome nodded assent, "Yes," she said, "Mr. Boland has been very kind. He has waited two weeks and--and--we can't pay him." "Why not let me--" suggested Harvey, putting his hand into his pocket. Mrs. Welcome checked him with a quick movement. "No, Harvey, please. I don't want you to do that," she said. "I wouldn't feel right about it somehow." "Just as you say, Mrs. Welcome." Harvey was rather diffident and hesitated to press a loan on her. To change the subject he said: "Young Mr. Boland seems taken up with Patience." "I hadn't noticed it," said Mrs. Welcome, drying her eyes. "O, we detectives have to keep our eyes open," acclaimed Harvey with another burst of pride. But here Michael Grogan interrupted. "Young man," he called out from the roadway, "are you really taking orders or is this one of your visiting days?" He tied the colt and came into the yard.