When he landed, immediately after perusing it, Mr. Towle took the pains at once to look into the matter; and this explains the unofficial interview before alluded to, in the course of which Miss Bertha Forbes reduced the top of her lead pencil to a splintery pulp, more after the fashion of an embarrassed schoolgirl than a stern-faced customs official. "No, sir, we do not as a rule make it a practice to give out information regarding what takes place in our department," Miss Forbes informed the tall Englishman. "Hum--ah; can you inform me whether there is any truth in this account?" Mr. Towle persisted. "The description of the--er--smugglers tallies with that of the two persons I am in search of." Miss Forbes cast her eyes coldly over the newspaper item. "There have been several similar cases of late," she admitted. "But this states, you notice, that both parties were immediately dismissed upon confiscation of the goods. It is not a part of my work to keep track of detected smugglers, and so of course----" "You--er--saw the young girl described in the story; did you not?" "I--I couldn't be sure of it," prevaricated Miss Forbes, actually blushing. The Hon. Wipplinger Towle fixed his glass more firmly in his eye and proceeded to stare the intrepid Bertha out of countenance "I beg your pardon," he observed masterfully, "but I--er--fancy you're mistaken." "In what?" snapped the female inspector. "In saying you're not sure you saw Miss Blythe. You--er--recall the whole incident perfectly, I am confident." "Of all the--impudence!" murmured Miss Forbes, somewhat excitedly. "Well, suppose I do; what then?" "If you know where she is, it will be greatly to her advantage if you will tell me," said Mr. Towle mildly. "I don't know about that," mused Bertha Forbes. "Who, for example, are you? You're not her uncle." "Thank you," said Mr. Towle astutely. "No; I am not a relative of Miss Blythe's. I am--er--merely a friend. But I beg to assure you that I have her best interests warmly at heart." "Humph!--Well, I guess you have," admitted Miss Forbes, after a prolonged semi-official scrutiny of Mr. Towle's countenance, an ordeal which that honorable gentleman bore with the calm of conscious integrity. "But for all that I don't think I shall tell you where she is." "Why not?" urged Mr. Towle, with an agitation which caused him to appear almost youthful. "Because I'm sure she wouldn't thank me for it," said Bertha Forbes coolly. "Good day, sir." "By heavens, madam, I'll not be put off like this!" declared Mr. Towle, very much in earnest. "I came to America on purpose to find her." "Find her then," advised Miss Forbes, with tantalizing brevity. "I can't talk to you any longer to-day." "To-morrow then?" Mr. Towle caught eagerly at the straw of suggestion in her last word. But Miss Forbes was denied to unofficial visitors on the following day, and for three days thereafter, a period which Mr. Towle endured with such resignation as he could muster.