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Leaving Father Murray at the rectory, Mark went on to the hotel Entering the lobby, he gave vent to a savage objurgation as he recognized the er of holy things, for the man was no other than Saunders, from whom, for the past teeks, Sihasset had been ht have known he'd return to spoil it all" Then, race he could, Mark shook hands with the detective, greeting him with a fair amount of cordiality, for, personally, he rather liked the man "You here!" he exclairinned pleasantly, but still suspiciously, as he answered "I can't say the same of you, Mr Griffin I knew you would be here when I returned; fact is, I came back to see you"

"Me? How could I cart books all over the world with me? What do you want to see o back to the Padre He's what you call an 'easy mark,' isn't he?"

"Oh, he's not so easy as you think, Griffin By the way, have you lunched?"

"No"

"You will join et into a corner and talk undisturbed"

But lunch was disposed of before Saunders began When he did, it was right in theover the table and looking straight at Mark, "Griffin, what's your ga out"

"I aain in the picturesque slang which the Padre thinks so expressive: I really don't get you"

"Oh, yes, you do What are you doing here?"

"Honestly, an to show a little pique, "you have remarkable curiosity about what isn't your business"

"But it is ent, and never was"

It was Mark's turn to smile

"Which fact," he said, "is not inforo You are a detective"

"I a," replied Mark, "except that you make up splendidly as a really decent sort of fellow"

"Perhaps I ah, anyhow; and perhaps I don't particularly like my business, but it is my business Now, look here, Griffin, I want you to help instead of hindering me I have to ask this question of you: What do you know about Ruth Atheson? You see her every day"