"Since you're interested in sociological questions," I repeated, "perhaps you may be interested in educational ones." "I'm not." "That's not consistent, for sociological problems can hardly be solved without the aid of--" "Oh!" Her pent-up temper exploded. "I didn't come in here to--to listen to a dissertation on--" Rage choked her and she couldn't go on. "I should be very much interested to learn what you _did_ come in for." "You're a beast!" she flashed at me. "Come now, you don't mean that. As a matter of fact, I'm merely a mild-mannered person of studious instincts hired to carry out a most valuable experiment in comparative psychology." "I have no interest in your experiments." "Or the object of them?" I put in quickly. She found that difficult to answer. "You must admit that my inquiry is natural," I went on suavely. "Since Jerry has just promised to give you his entire fortune, it seems to me only fair that his executors--" "Will you be silent?" she cried, stopping suddenly. "It seems that I'm at your mercy. You will at least have the decency to let me go in peace." She broke away, running aimlessly. I followed rapidly, my conscience hurting, but my purpose relentless. "This way," I said coolly. "You've left the trail." "I don't care," she gasped. "Leave me." "I can't do that. You see, I promised Jerry. But I will lead the way if you like. The stream is not far." I set out again and I heard her trudging behind me. If she had stuck me in the back with a hatpin, I shouldn't have been surprised. But she was more tractable now. "How are you getting on?" I asked as I neared the Sweetwater. But she wouldn't reply. Her sentiments toward me, I am sure, were too deep for words. "Where did you come in?" I asked again. "The iron railing--at the stream," she mumbled. "Oh! It must be repaired at once." "You needn't bother," she said scornfully, "so far as I am concerned." "That's very kind of you. Ah, here we are." We went carefully over the rocks and in a short while the dim bulk of the wall rose before us. I descended, preceding her, found the opening and went through it. "You're not going any further with me," she commanded in a suppressed tone. "I forbid it." I rose on the other side of the grille and dusted my knees. "I should be sorry to disobey your commands," I said firmly, "but the dangers of the woods at night--" "Oh! How I abominate you!" "Really? I am sorry." But she followed me through the aperture and I led the way down a path, which seemed fairly well worn, alongside the wall. "Of course, your real name isn't Smith," I began again in a moment. And then after waiting in vain for a reply: "Are you staying with the Laidlaws? The Carews? The Van Wycks then? You won't tell me? Oh, very well, I'll inquire." My threat brought her to her senses. "You wouldn't do that!" she said in an agonized tone, catching me by the arm. "I'm quite capable of it," I replied, stopping beside her.