“Well?” “You may call me Miss Clayton when not consulting me professionally, Detective Carter,” she explained, with a fascinating little laugh. “Like persons in other fields of art, I practise under an assumed name. If you ever meet my sister, Mrs. Badger, or her husband, they will probably refer to me by my real name. So I take this occasion to tell it to you. It is only here, or when discussing my professional work, that I make use of my business name.” Nick wondered if all this had been thrown at him to convey an impression that she had not been informed of his call upon Badger and his wife, and a gleam of new suspicion showed briefly in the eyes of the great detective. Yet he said quietly, with a nod, that he understood her. “It matters little to me what name you use, providing you answer my questions,” he added. “I shall gladly do so, Detective Carter.” “I have here a snap-shot photograph said to have been taken by you at the time of the robbery.” “Yes, that is true. I had my kodak with me, and it so happened that I could——” “I have been told by Chief Weston how you obtained the photograph,” interposed Nick, wishing to expedite matters. “Ah, I see.” “What I chiefly wish to know is whether you got a good look at the thieves, or were too frightened to notice them closely.” “Oh, I was not greatly alarmed,” smiled Madame Victoria, with a shrug of her fine shoulders. “I saw that the loss of our valuables was inevitable, but I did not fear for my life.” “Did you specially notice the woman who appears in this photograph?” “I saw all that was to be seen of both miscreants, Detective Carter,” the woman declared, with a nod of emphasis. “Did you detect any peculiarity about the woman?” “Only her unusual height.” “She was taller than the man?” “Yes, indeed; several inches taller.” “Yet in the picture he appears to be nearly six feet.” “I should judge that he was, as I now recall him.” “A woman taller than that is very rare,” said Nick, “and one who should be quite easily traced.” “That is true, sir.” “Do you feel quite sure that it was a woman?” “Sure? Why, certainly!” exclaimed Madame Victoria, laughing. “For what reasons?” “Because, Detective Carter, I saw the point of her chin under her black veil, and it was as smooth and white as my own.” “Anything more?” “Her hand and arm, too, what little I could see of the latter in the sleeve of her automobile coat, were as fair and plump as my own.” Nick glanced at the pretty hand and arm she held out, and decided that there could be no mistaking them. “My first impression, Detective Carter,” she quickly added, “was the same as yours—that her height might warrant a suspicion that it was a man in woman’s clothing. For that reason, sir, I particularly observed her.” “I am glad of that,” bowed Nick. “I called here chiefly to settle this question of sex, and I have already asked Mrs. Badger about it.” “Oh, indeed! Then you have seen her?”