"Very well," she said. "Let us talk of other things, then." Her manner changed to one of a lighter, inconsequential curiosity. "There is one point in the frightful happenings of the day I should like to know." "What, madam?" said McKenna, whose instinct warned him to adopt a tone of artless attention. "Majendie was followed by detectives, was he not?" "That is the report." "And he was on the point of leaving when he perceived that he would be followed?" "That is what I have been told." "And, believing that he was about to be arrested, he returned to the house and shot himself." "That’s the story." "As a matter of fact, wasn’t he mistaken?" "In what way?" said McKenna, steeling himself under an appearance of surprise. "Were not the detectives your own men—placed by you at Mr. Slade’s orders to acquaint him with every move of Mr. Majendie?" persisted Mrs. Kildair. "That would make a good Sunday thriller," said McKenna, laughing boisterously. "That is my guess," she said, drawing back as though satisfied. "I am certain that Majendie committed suicide through the blunder of believing he was threatened with arrest." "My dear Mrs. Kildair," said the detective, rising, "I see that what you want to know is, am I for or against Mr. Slade. If I’m not in his employ you think I’m retained by his enemies. Well, I don’t intend to give you any information." She made no answer, but, rising in turn, glanced at the clock. "Since you are here," she said carelessly, "you may as well look over the ground." And, without waiting, she went to the door. "This is my bedroom. The ring was placed here." He had hardly made his quick professional scrutiny when there came a ring at the door, and at a sign from Mrs. Kildair they returned to the studio. "What now?" thought McKenna, who remembered her glance at the clock. "Slade or who?" To his surprise, it was Beecher who entered. Mrs. Kildair went directly to him, a smile of confidence and welcome on her face, holding out an eager hand, and by the elation of her movements, the detective comprehended how she had played him. "Teddy," she said directly, "I have a favor to ask you, and I trust you so completely that I know I need not explain it further. Mr. McKenna and I have had a very complete understanding. I wish him to represent me entirely. I do not mean that you should not continue to work on the case," she added quickly, as she felt instinctively the gesture of warning McKenna made behind her back. "All I wish you to tell him is that anything I may have told him or will tell him shall be considered confidential until the time I am able to tell you myself. I must throw myself on your chivalry and protection as the fine gentleman I have seen you to be," she added, looking at him with a moistening of the eyes in which there was respect and a more tender emotion.