"Oh, I am all right now," and he sank into the vacant chair, facing her, expectantly. "You wished to speak with me, the servant said." "Yes," she leaned back against the couch on which she rested, with face now clearly revealed, one hand nervously twirling a fan. "Although it is not easy for me to transform into words exactly what I mean. This is a very strange situation in which we find ourselves, Captain West." "I have felt so," he admitted, surprised at this beginning. "Yet I must confess, I am now becoming quite reconciled." She sat up suddenly, with eyes searching his face. "What do you mean by that?" "Perhaps I ought not to say," he answered boldly. "Yet circumstances seemingly justify frankness between us. I mean that I feel far more deeply interested in the final outcome of this affair today than I did yesterday--it means more to me." "Indeed! Why?" "Largely, I imagine, because I am privileged to know you much better. That naturally makes a difference." "Does it indeed? You imply then an increased interest in myself as an individual brings with it a greater desire to serve me?" "Assuredly, yes." "Then you render my task doubly hard," she said soberly, yet with a certain hardness in the tone. "I had not suspected any personal side whatever. You were a total stranger to me, Captain West, and I employed you in this matter merely in a business way, as--as--a detective. Surely you understood this clearly?" "In a measure that is quite true," feeling the sharp sting of her words. "Yet the comparison is hardly fair, is it? I am not a detective in the sense with which you employ the term. No question of pay even has been discussed between us. The appeal to my services was from an entirely different stand-point. More, you even investigated rather carefully my social and financial standing before taking me into your confidence, or admitting me to your home. Is this not true?" "Undoubtedly. I had reason to wish assurance in these matters. I had to present you to my friends." "Yet this very knowledge of my social position placed me on a totally different plane from that of a detective picked up at some agency. You knew I was not serving you for pay." "Did I?" "I should hope you did," his voice hardening slightly. "But for what other end did you volunteer your services?" "Perhaps that is not so easily explained. It was a spirit of adventure which first led me to answer your advertisement, I presume. At least, I can give it no other name. Then, when we met, you appealed to me personally; I felt a desire to further our acquaintance and--well, your story aroused my interest." "Is that all?" "It might have been had not you chosen methods of procedure which led me to other thoughts." She laughed. "Oh, I see! All this has happened because I introduced you to the others as my fiancé. Why, that is positively funny. Didn't you know that was only a part of the game being played?"