ttle　further。　We　find　that　you；　for　instance；　Miss　Penelope　Morse；　a　young　American　lady；　celebrated　for　her　wit　and　accomplishments；　and　well　known　in　London　society；　were　to　have　lunched　with　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　on　the　day　when　he　made　his　tragical　arrival　in　London；　we　find　too；　curiously　enough；　that　you　were　one　of　the　party　with　whom　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole　was　to　have　dined　and　gone　to　the　theatre　on　the　night　of　his　decease。〃
  Penelope　shivered；　and　half　closed　her　eyes。
  〃Don't　you　think；〃　she　said；　〃that　the　shock　of　this　coincidence；　as　you　call　it；　has　been　quite　sufficient；　without　having　you　come　here　to　remind　me　of　it？〃
  〃Madam；〃　Mr。　Jacks　said；　〃I　have　not　come　here　to　gratify　any　personal　curiosity。　I　have　come　here　in　the　cause　of　justice。　You　should　find　me　a　welcome　visitor；　for　both　these　men　who　have　lost　their　lives　were　friends　of　yours。〃
  〃I　should　be　very　sorry　indeed；〃　Penelope　answered；　〃to　stand　in　the　way　of　justice。　No　one　can　hope　more　fervently　than　I　do　that　the　perpetrator　of　these　deeds　will　be　found　and　punished。　But　what　I　cannot　understand　is　your　coming　here　and　reopening　the　subject　with　me。　I　tell　you　again　that　I　have　no　possible　information　for　you。〃
  〃Perhaps　not；〃　the　Inspector　declared；　〃but；　on　the　other　hand；　there　are　certain　questions　which　you　can　answer　me；answer　them；　I　mean；　not　grudgingly　and　as　though　in　duty　bound；answer　them　intelligently；　and　with　some　apprehension　of　the　things　which　lie　behind。〃
  〃And　what　is　the　thing　that　lies　behind　them？〃　she　asked。
  〃A　theory；　madam；〃　the　Inspector　answered；〃no　more。　But　in　this　case；　unfortunately；　we　have　not　passed　the　stage　of　theories。　My　theory；　at　the　present　moment；　is　that　the　murderer　of　these　two　men　was　the　same　person。〃
  〃You　have　evidence　to　that　effect；〃　she　said；　suddenly　surprised　to　find　that　her　voice　had　sunk　to　a　whisper。
  〃Very　little；〃　Mr。　Jacks　admitted；　〃but；　you　see；　in　the　case　of　theories　one　must　build　them　brick　by　brick。　Then　if；　after　all；　as　we　reach　the　end；　the　foundation　was　false；　well；　we　must　watch　them　collapse　and　start　again。〃
  〃Supposing　we　leave　these　generalities；〃　Penelope　remarked；　〃and　get　on　with　those　questions　which　you　wish　to　ask　me。　My　aunt；　as　you　may　have　heard；　is　an　invalid；　and　although　she　seldom　leaves　her　room；　this　is　one　of　the　afternoons　when　she　sometimes　sits　here　for　a　short　time。　I　should　not　care　to　have　her　find　you。〃
  The　Inspector　leaned　back　in　his　chair。　It　was　a　very　pleasant　drawing　room；　looking　out　upon　the　Park。　A　little　French　clock；　a　masterpiece　of　workmanship；　was　ticking　gayly　upon　the　mantelpiece。　Two　toy　Pomeranians　were　half　hidden　in　the　great　rug。　The　walls　were　of　light　blue；　soft；　yet　full　of　color；　and　the　carpet；　of　some　plain　material；　was　of　the　same　shade。　The　perfume　of　flowersthe　faint　sweetness　of　mimosa　and　the　sicklier　fragrance　of　hyacinthsseemed　almost　overwhelming；　for　the　fire　was　warm　and　the　windows　closed。　By　the　side　of　Penelope's　chair　were　a　new　novel　and　a　couple　of　illustrated　papers；　and　Mr。　Jacks　noticed　that　although　a　paper　cutter　was　lying　by　their　side　the　leaves　of　all　were　uncut。
  〃These　questions；〃　he　said；　〃may　seem　to　you　irrelevant；　yet　please　answer　them　if　you　can。　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes；　for　instance；was　he；　to　your　knowledge；　acquainted　with　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole？〃
  〃I　have　never　heard　them　speak　of　one　another；〃　Penelope　answered。　〃I　should　think　it　very　unlikely。〃
  〃You　have　no　knowledge　of　any　common　pursuit　or　interest　in　life　which　the　two　men　may　have　shared？〃　the　Inspector　asked。　〃A　hobby；　for　instance；a　collection　of　postage　stamps；　china；　any　common　aim　of　any　sort？〃
  She　shook　her　head。
  〃I　knew　little　of　Mr。　Fynes'　tastes。　DickyI　mean　Mr。　Vanderpolehad　none　at　all　except　an　enthusiasm　for　his　profession　and　a　love　of　polo。〃
  〃His　profession；〃　the　Inspector　repeated。　〃Mr。　Vanderpole　was　attached　to　the　American　Embassy；　was　he　not？〃
  〃I　believe　so；〃　Penelope　answered。
  〃Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes；〃　the　Inspector　continued；　〃might　almost　have　been　said　to　have　followed　the　same　occupation。〃
  〃Surely　not！〃　Penelope　objected。　〃I　always　understood　that　Mr。　Fynes　was　employed　in　a　Government　office　at　Washington；something　to　do　with　the　Customs；　I　thought；　or　forest　duties。〃
  Mr。　Jacks　nodded　thoughtfully。
  〃I　am　not　aware；　as　yet；〃　he　said；　〃of　the　precise　nature　of　Mr。　Fynes'　occupation。　I　only　knew　that　it　was；　in　some　shape　or　form；　Government　work。〃
  〃You　know　as　much　about　it；〃　she　answered；　〃as　I　do。〃
  〃We　have　sent；〃　the　Inspector　continued　smoothly；　〃a　special　man　out　to　Washington　to　make　all　inquiries　that　are　possible　on　the　spot；　and　incidentally；　to　go　through　the　effects　of　the　deceased；　with　a　view　to　tracing　any　complications　in　which　he　may　have　been　involved　in　this　country。〃
  Penelope　opened　her　lips；　but　closed　them　again。
  〃I　am　not；　however；〃　the　Inspector　continued；　〃very　sanguine　of　success。　In　the　case　of　Mr。　Vanderpole；　for　instance；　there　could　have　been　nothing　of　the　sort。　He　was　too　young；　altogether　too　much　of　a　boy；　to　have　had　enemies　so　bitterly　disposed　towards　him。　There　is　another　explanation　somewhere；　I　feel　convinced；　at　the　root　of　the　matter。〃
  〃You　do　not　believe；　then；〃　asked　Penelope；　〃that　robbery　was　really　the　motive？〃
  〃Not　ordinary　robbery；〃　Mr。　Jacks　answered。　〃A　man　who　was　capable　of　these　two　crimes　is　capable　of　easier　and　greater　things。　I　mean；〃　he　explained；　〃that　he　could　have　attempted　enterprises　of　a　far　more　remunerative　character；　with　a　prospect　of　complete　success。〃
  〃Will　you　forgive　me；〃　she　said；　〃if　I　ask　you　to　go　on　with　your　questions；　providing　you　have　any　more　to　ask　me？　Notwithstanding　the　excellence　of　your　disguise；〃　she　remarked　with　a　faint　curl
  of　the　lips；　〃I　might　find　it　somewhat　difficult　to　explain　your　presence　if　my　aunt　or　any　visitors　should　come　in。〃
  〃I　am　sorry；　Miss　Morse；〃　the　Inspector　said　quietly；　〃to　find　you　so　unsympathetic。　Had　I　found　you　differently　disposed；　I　was　going　to　ask　you　to　put　yourself　in　my　place。　I　was　going　to　ask　you　to　look　at　these　two　tragedies　from　my　point　of　view　and　from　your　own　at　the　same　time；　and　I　was　going　to　ask　you　whether　any　possible　motive　suggested　itself　to　you；　any　possible　person　or　cause；　which　might　be　benefited　by　the　removal　of　these　two　men。〃
  〃If　you　think；　Mr。　Jacks；〃　Penelope　said；　〃that　I　am　keeping　anything　from　you；　you　are　very　much　mistaken。　Such　sympathy　as　I　have　would　certainly　be　with　those　who　are　attempting　to　bring　to　justice　the　perpetrator　of　such　unmentionable　crimes。　What　I　object　to　is　the　unpleasantness　of　being　associated　with　your　inquiries　when　I　am　absolutely　unable　to　give　you　the　least　help；　or　to　supply　you　with　any　information　which　is　not　equally　attainable　to　you。〃
  〃As；　for　instance？〃　the　Inspector　asked。
  〃You　are　a　detective；〃　Penelope　said　coldly。　〃You　do　not　need　me　to　point　out　certain　things　to　you。　Mr。　Hamilton　Fynes　was　robbed　and　murderedan　American　citizen　on　his　way　to　London。　Mr。　Richard　Vanderpole　is　also　murdered；　after　a　call　upon　Mr。　James　B。　Coulson；　the　only　acquaintance　whom　Mr。　Fynes　is　known　to　have　possessed　in　this　country。　Did　Mr。　Fynes　share　secrets　with　Mr。　Coulson？　If　so；　did　Mr。　Coulson　pass　them　on　to　Mr。　Vanderpole；　and　for　that　reason　did　Mr。　Vanderpole　meet　with　the　same　death；　at　the　same　hands；　as　had　befallen　Mr。　Fynes？〃
  Inspector　Jacks　moved　his　head　thoughtfully。
  〃It　is　admirably　put；〃　he　assented；　〃and　to　continue？〃
  〃It　is　not　my　place　to　make　suggestions　to　you；〃　Penelope　said。　〃If　you　are　able　to　connect　Mr。　Fynes　with　the　American　Government；　you　arrive　at　the　possibility　of　these　murders　having　been　committed　for　some　political　end。　I　presume　you　read　your　newspapers？〃
  Inspector　Jacks　smiled；　picked　up　his　hat　and　bowed；　while　Penelope；　with　a　sigh　of　relief；　moved　over　to　the　bell。
  〃My　dear　young　lady；〃　he　said；　〃you　do　not　understand　how　important　even　the　point　of　view　of　another　person　is　to　a　man　who　is　struggling　to　build　up　a　theory。　Whether　you　have　helped　me　as　much　as　you　could；〃　he　added；　looking　her　in　the　face；　〃you　only　can　tell；　but　you　have　certainly　helped　me　a　little。〃
  The　footman　had　entered。　The　Inspector　turned　to　follow　him。　Penelope　remained　as　she　had　been　standing；　the　hand　which　had　touched　the　bell　fallen　to　her　side；　her　eyes　fixed　upon　him　with　a　new　light　stirring　their　quiet　depths。
  〃One　moment；　Morton；〃　she　said。　〃Wait　outside。　Mr。　Jacks；〃　she　added；　as　the　door　closed；　〃what　do　you　mean？　What　can　I　have　told　you？　How　can　I　have　helped　you？〃
  The　Inspector　stood　very　still　for　a　brief　space　of　time；　very　still　and　very　silent。　His　face；　too；　was　quite　expressionless。　Yet　his　tone；　when　he　spoke；　seemed　to　have　taken　to　itself　a　note　of　sternness。
  〃If　you　had　chosen；〃　he　said　slowly；　〃to　have　become　my　ally　in　this　matter；　to　have　ranged　yourself　altogether　on　the　side　of　the　law；　my　answer　would　have　been　ready　enough。　What　you　have　told　me；　however；　you　have　told　me　against　your　will　and　not　in　actual　words。　You　have　told　me　in　such　a　way；　too；〃　he　added；　〃that　it　is　impossible　for　me　to　doubt　your　intention　to　mislead　me。　I　am　forced　to　conclude　that　we　stand　on　opposite