“I am not responsible for your disbelief,” she drew herself up with a dignified air. “And I must ask you not to refer to that matter again.” “Don’t take that attitude,” he begged. “At least tell me what Keefe he did mean. There can be no breach of confidence in that.” “Why do you want to know?” “Because I know Mr. Appleby had a big airship project under consideration. Because I know he contemplated letting me in on the deal, and it was a most profitable deal. Had he lived, I should have asked him about it, but since he is dead, I admit I want to know anything you can tell me of the matter.” Involuntarily Maida smiled a little, and the lovely face, usually so sad, seemed more beautiful than ever to the man who looked at her. “Why do you smile?” he cried, “but whatever the reason, keep on doing so! Oh, Maida, how wonderful you are!” A glance of astonishment made him quickly apologize for his speech. “But,” he said, “I couldn’t help it. Forgive me, Miss Wheeler, and, since you can smile over it, I’m more than ever anxious to know about the airship deal.” “And I can tell you nothing,” she declared, “because I know nothing of any such matter. If Mr. Appleby was interested in an airship project, I know nothing of it. The matter he mentioned to me was, I am positively certain, not the deal you speak of.” “I believe that. Your face is too honest for you to speak an untruth so convincingly. And now assure me that I am not the Keefe he referred to, and I will never open the subject again.” But this Maida could not say truthfully, and though she tried, her assertion was belied by drooping eyes and quivering lips. “You were not,” she uttered, but she did not look at him, and this time Curtis Keefe did not believe her. “I was,” he said calmly, but he made no further effort to get the whole truth from her. “I’m sorry you can’t confide fully in me, but I shall doubtless learn all I want to know from Mr. Appleby’s papers.” “You—you have them in charge?” Maida asked, quite evidently agitated at the thought. “Yes, of course, I’m his confidential secretary. That’s why, Miss Wheeler, it’s better for you to be frank with me—in all things. Has it never occurred to you that I’m the man who can best help you in this whole moil of troubles?” “Why, no,” she said, slowly, “I don’t believe it ever has.” “Then realize it now. Truly, dear Miss Wheeler, I am not only the one who can best help you, but I am the only one who can help you at all—please try to see that.” “Why should I want help?” “For half a dozen very good reasons. First, I suppose you know that you are in no enviable position regarding the death of Mr. Appleby. Oh, I know you didn’t kill him——” “But I did!” “If you did, you couldn’t take it so calmly——” “How dare you say I take it calmly? What do you know about it? Just because I don’t go about in hysterics—that’s not my nature—is no sign that I’m not suffering tortures——”