He had seen the cabman run up the steps, and after a short colloquy with someone at the door, return to his cab. He was surprised, therefore, as he passed his sister's apartments on the second floor, to hear the sound of voices in the hall below. Since he had dismissed his valet for the night, he knew that, besides himself, there was no one in the house except an old coloured woman who had been in the family for two generations, and who always took charge of the house when the family were away for the summer. Fearing that it might be a casual friend who would detain him, Donald waited, out of sight, in the upper hall, until he could determine who the unexpected caller might be. As he paused to listen, he heard Susan's soft old voice: "I don' think you can see Mistah Morris to-night," it said. "He jus' goin' out." "But I must see him." It was a woman's voice, sharp, thin, and nasal. "He'll want to see me when he knows who I come from. You tell him, and tell him quick, that there's a lady here waiting to see him that can tell him something he wants, most particular, to know. Tell him that I seen the piece in the paper Monday and that I know where the lady is. You tell him that, and----" "It's all right, Susan," cried Donald, running swiftly down the stairs. "I'll see her. Just go out and tell the cabman to wait, please." As Susan quietly disappeared, he spoke quickly, breathlessly, to the other woman. "Come in here," he said, leading the way into a small, formal reception room at the right of the hall, and switching on the lights as he entered. The woman followed obediently. She was a large, stout, middle-aged person, dressed elaborately in a cheap imitation of the latest mode. There were many gaudy rings on her ungloved hands, and in her ears were earrings of such size and weight as to make one fear for her equilibrium should she lose one of them. Her face, which must once have been handsome in a common way, was slack-skinned and puffy, and covered heavily with powder and rouge. As she walked, her fluttering, scanty garments exhaled a heavy perfume. Donald was too much excited to be seriously affected by her unprepossessing appearance. "Please sit down," he said, quickly, "and tell me what you have to say." She sank luxuriously into a soft-cushioned chair, and with a keen, observant eye took in her surroundings and the appearance of the man who remained standing before her. "You're Mr. Morris--Mr. Donald Morris?" she asked, looking sharply up at him. "Yes. Well, then, I'll tell you--and if there's anything in it----" "There'll be something in it for you," Donald hastily assured her, "if you can give me the information I'm looking for." "How much?" asked the woman, tersely. Her eyes were little points of avaricious light. Donald recoiled a little, and hesitated. The woman, keenly observant, hastened to retrieve her mistake.