"You don't see everything," said Iff; "but at that, you're right--she didn't recognise me. She hasn't for years--seven years, to be exact. It was seven years ago that she ran away from me and changed her name. And it was all _his_ doing! I've told you that Ismay has, in his jocular way, made a practice of casting suspicion on me. Well, the thing got so bad that he made her believe I was the criminal in the family. So, being the right sort of a girl, she couldn't live with me any longer and she just naturally shook me--went to Paris to study singing and fit herself to earn a living. I followed her, pleaded with her, but she couldn't be made to understand; so I had to give it up. And that was when I registered my oath to follow this cur to the four corners of the earth, if need be, and wait my chance to trip him up, expose him and clear myself. And now he's finding the going a bit rough, thanks to my public-spirited endeavours, and he takes this means of tying my hands!" "I should think," said Staff, "you'd have shot him long before this." "Precisely," agreed Iff mockingly. "That's just where the bone-headedness comes in that so endears you to your friends. If I killed him, where would be my chance to prove I hadn't been guilty of the crimes he's laid at my door? He's realised that, all along.... I passed him on deck one night, coming over; it was midnight and we were alone; the temptation to lay hands on him and drop him overboard was almost irresistible--and he knew it and laughed in my face!... And that's the true reason why I didn't accuse him when I was charged with the theft of the necklace--because I couldn't prove anything and a trumped-up accusation that fell through would only make my case the worse in Nelly's sight.... But I'll get him yet!" "Have you thought of going to Hartford?" "I'm no such fool. If that letter was posted in Hartford this morning, it means that Ismay's in Philadelphia." "But isn't he wise enough to know you'd think just that?" Iff sat up with a flush of excitement. "By George!" he cried--"there's something in that!" "It's a chance," said Staff thoughtfully. The little man jumped up and began to pace the floor. To and fro, from the hall-door to the windows, he strode. At perhaps the seventh turn at the windows he paused, looking out, then moved quickly back to Staff's side. "Taxicab stopping outside," he said in a low voice: "woman getting out--Miss Landis, I think. If you don't mind, I'll dodge into your bedroom." "By all means," assented his host, rising. Iff swung out of sight into the back room as Staff went to and opened the hall-door. Alison had just gained the head of the stairs. She came to the study door, moving with her indolent grace, acknowledging his greeting with an insolent, cool nod. "Not too late, I trust?" she said enigmatically. "For what?" asked Staff, puzzled. "For this appointment," she said, extending a folded bit of paper.