“Yes, I do. I know those girls, and what they say they saw, they saw. Daisy said she thought Alma was a little lacking, but the others didn’t say that, they only thought she had a fierce temper that broke out suddenly sometimes.” “Either of those things may be true, but don’t think about it. Run off now, and play with your sheik. And forget all about this case unless you get some further knowledge that is both true and important. But, remember, not a word of it to any one—not any one at all!” “See my finger wet, see my finger dry, see my finger cut my throat if I tell a lie,” said the girl, in a singsong tone, and with accompanying dramatic gestures of fearful histrionic fervour. Then she ran away, and we sat and looked at one another. “The problem seems to be solved,” I said. “Seems to be,” Moore returned, and something in his voice gave me a grain of hope. I don’t know what it was, it was not really encouragement, but I knew he had a ray of light from somewhere, and I had to be content with that. “You believe all Posy said, don’t you, Kee?” Lora asked. “Yes, I do. Those youngsters aren’t going to make up such things, and I know that gap in the line of trees, I’ve often looked in there but I never had the luck to see any drama enacted.” “Why do they have that break when they seem so anxious for utter concealment?” Maud inquired. “Maybe the servants cut it for convenience in taking in parcels, or to look for their sweethearts,” Kee surmised. “Oh perhaps it just happened that a couple of trees died and haven’t yet been replaced. I say, Gray, why don’t you go over to see Alma?” I nearly fell off my chair at this, and my heart bounded at the idea. Then, I thought what it might mean, and I said, bitterly: “To spy on her, and come home and tell you what I’ve ferreted out?” “I feared you’d say something like that,” he returned, gently. “But while you can do that or not, as you choose, I tell you honestly, I had only your own interest at heart When I suggested it.” “Then I’ll go,” I said, heartily, knowing Kee incapable of insincerity. “What are you going to give as a reason for calling?” Lora asked, smiling kindly at me. “The truth,” I said, smiling back, and in a few moments I was off. I jumped into a rowboat, a canoe was not such a familiar craft to me as to the others, and I rowed away to the island house. The dour boathouse keeper met me, and after a mere word of greeting I hurried up the path to the house. Merry herself answered my ring, and at first she looked stern and unapproachable. “Miss Alma is seeing nobody, sir,” she informed me. “She is lying down just now.” “Won’t you ask her if she couldn’t give me a few minutes? I’m not here on business of any sort, I’m just making a social call, and perhaps I can cheer her up.”