"Are her charges high?" the woman asked. "Just the reverse. She is very reasonable, while our charges are high. Tell her that I sent you and that I have dropped the case. She will use you right." "I am sure I am very much obliged to you," said Mrs. Butler, rising to depart. "But about Ed. You will send him home if he comes to you?" "Yes, if you so desire." "I do." "Don't you want to see him?" "No. I want him to go home. Tell him to go at once." "But in case he won't go and insists upon your address?" "I will give it to Miss Brown. I shall be settled by the time I see her." Old King Brady let her go then. He immediately summoned Alice, who had retired to her own office before Mrs. Butler was shown in, and told her what he had done. "You want to get down to the rooms and take this woman in charge," he said. "Pump her dry. We want to find out what she is driving at if we can. You are to make up as you did before, but not quite so much like a China woman." At the time of which we write, the Bradys were holding two rooms under rental on the top floor of a building on Pell street. It was almost a necessity, for they had a great many Chinese cases to handle. Alice assented. A little later Old King Brady and Harry went to Chinatown again, and with the aid of the wardman made a thorough search for Ed. But it came to nothing. The same ground was gone over again; other secret dens were visited on the block. But it is always hard work in Chinatown without a clew. When detectives visit the Chinese houses, no objections are ever offered to a search, nor is any help ever given. The Chinese sit around perfectly indifferent, seemingly. Once in a while bribes will do the business. Old King Brady found even that resource hopeless on this occasion, however. After a hard day's work he had to give it up. "I am afraid they have done for that boy," he remarked to Harry. "It indeed looks like a hopeless case." He felt very much distressed about it, feeling somewhat to blame. His next move was to call up the Government office, at which Mr. Butler was employed, but word came over the wire that the man was home sick. All Old King Brady could do was to write him a letter, stating the facts, which he did, in time for the evening mail. At a quarter to three o'clock Harry turned up at the rooms on Pell street. Alice admitted him. "Has Mrs. Butler come yet?" he asked. "Not yet," replied Alice. "The governor has decided that I am to be a witness to your conversation." "I am glad of it. I don't want to take the responsibility alone." They sat talking until quarter past three, when Mrs. Butler appeared. Harry slipped into the other room when her knock was heard. Alice took the woman right in hand, but she learned nothing more than the Bradys already knew. Mrs. Butler wanted to find her daughter, that was all. She only hinted vaguely at stolen papers. All attempts to draw her out on that subject were in vain.