He touched his lip in sign of warning to Billy and waved his hand. “I’ll remember! Good luck!” CHAPTER VII--THE DAUGHTER OF EVE STELLA had piled on the big oblong oak table in the library the letters and legal documents relating to her father’s estate. She had determined to treat John Graham’s first visit as a purely business one, and make her approach to him by the more subtle way of child-like dependence on his help and advice. She wore on purpose the same simple green dimity dress in which she had called at his office. Each step in her plans must be taken with the utmost care. He had masked his feelings with an iron will and she could as yet form no conception of the impression she had made. Seated beside the table, idly turning the papers, she awaited his coming to-night with the keenest interest, every faculty of her being keyed to the highest pitch of power. A letter from Ackerman had aroused anew her curiosity over every detail of the murder of her father and had given her a definite purpose toward which to work during John’s visit. She studied carefully again the paragraph in which he said: _“I have made several important discoveries in the past twenty-four hours. (1) That old Isaac has left the county and is not holding a sanctification meeting as he told his wife. (2) That Larkin and your father had a violent quarrel on the day of the Convention. (3) That a dozen young men, one at a time, have left Independence recently. (4) And most important, that the tradition that there is a secret passage somewhere into the Graham house must be true. If you can confirm this fourth fact for me by its discovery my work will be greatly helped.”_ Stella had quietly ransacked the house from cellar to attic in vain searching for this secret way. She had questioned Aunt Julie Ann without results, and had made up her mind to gain from John first this important fact. The brass knocker struck three sharp strokes on the front door. With a quick, cat-like movement she concealed Ackerman’s letter in her bosom, smoothed her dress, and as the young lawyer entered, rose and greeted him with a gracious smile. “I must thank you again for undertaking this work for me,” she said, taking his hand. “It is such a relief to feel that it is now in the hands of one who understands--one I can trust implicitly.” “It will be a pleasure if I can serve you,” he answered gravely. “I have the papers all spread out here ready for you.” “Pardon me, if I look about the room a moment,” John said with deep emotion. “You see I haven’t been in this room before for years. I spent many happy hours in it, in the old days.” “I hope this will not be the last time you will enter, now that we are going to be friends. When we have time you must take me all through in every nook and corner--show me all the secret closets and dark passageways and tell me its history.” “Yes, of course”--he answered with an absent look.