Fire-Tongue

st difficulty in adopting a judicial attitude toward his beautiful visitor. Proximity increased his

eaking very deliberately, "do you attach any par

Murdoch. "None at all, Mr. Harley," she re

I ask?" She in

inn? Have you met

had met him and was very

what

inary, he said very little about Mr. Brinn. He sounded interesting and "-she hesitated and her eyes filled with tears-"I asked Dad to invite him home." Again she paused. This retrospection, b

n Harley. "Your father did not appear anxious to

ll the more strange because Dad

reason for h

r. Harley. He merely evaded

u enlighten me respecting the identity of the Oriental

d not answer at once. "I know to whom you refer, Mr. Harley," she said, finally. "B

he mentioned him?

ave been wondering ever sin

person to whom Si

only have mea

Harley. "Where have

eve. In fact, he has a house somewhere

ves, then, in diplomatic circle

have heard that he had something to do with the Imperial Bank of Ira

"Am I to understand that

Abingdon, rather confusedly. "To be qui

ent. "Can you think of any reason why Sir Charles s

in. "He paid me a lot of atte

dy Vail's, then, wa

egan to send me most extravagant presents. I suppose it was

tal. I assume, Miss Abingdon, that you were in Englan

ool. I have never

icate ground and was temporarily at a loss as to how to proc

hil," he said, gloomily. "The impudence of

ted her chin forw

," she retorted. "There was nothing otherwise in his b

ian. "If a man of colour paid his

ve no daugh

ut if

d, was of old standing between the two, when sudden realization of the purpose of the visit came to h

hen, Miss Abingdon, Sir Cha

w him, Mr. Harley

mpression that this man-for I can only suppose that he refer

which was strong, had kept him silent on this matter with me, but he welcomed an opportunity of easing his mind to one dis

hat's possible. But suc

is Ormuz Khan, I understood you to sa

Savoy, I believe. He also has a

found himself resenting the intrusion of this wealthy Oriental into the life of the girl who sat there before him. And because

women in whom a certain latent perversity is fanned to life by opposition. Whether she was really attracted by Ormuz Kha

al mind of the investigator. But he recognized its presence with dismay. Where Phil Abingdon was concerned he could not trust himself. In her glance, too, an

ed a sudden look of anxiety in the physician's face. Quick as

rmchair, and her face had grown very pale. Ev

aid Doctor McMurdoch

Harley. "She shou

hil Abingdon had recovered before he returned with the water for which he had gone. Her reassurin

down to the street

t to know, Mr. Harley," said Phil A

at the door watching the car move toward the Strand he knew that to-day he could not count upon his intuitive powers to warn him of sudden danger. But he keenly examin

airs to his office deep in thought. "I am in to nobody,"

od, Mr.

ble, reached over to a cupboard beside him and took out a tin of smoking mixture. He began v

s theory that Sir Charles Abingdon had not died from natural causes rested upon data of the most flimsy description.

rl, could be in any way concerned in the death of her father. Nevertheless, as an ordina

vities of

y for a while and the

Nicol

ng lacquer of the cabinet; and presently, as he smoked, he became aware of an abrupt and m

elf. You ar