eat noise about, and no one know just what happen. But the Captain
give orders quick, and early the motor car is ready and the strange
girl go away. Old woman go, too. Nobody know where."

"That would be Sunday morning," Billy cried excitedly. "Are you sure
there is no mistake? There were lights in that room on Sunday
night."

"I tell what the girl tell. She are very honest girl," the Imp
insisted. "She say the other lady run away with her lover an'
Captain afraid the new lady has a lover so he send her away quick."

"But he didn't go himself?"

"No, he have something with his reg-reglement," gulped the Imp
hastily, "that day and he stay and he there now--but now he sick."

"What's the matter?"

"I don't know, sir, but I know the doctor comes because she say to
me to come back and say I am boy from doctor with medicine, and if I
don't see her I must say I lost that medicine and go away, and come
again as I can till I bring that money to her. She are very much
afraid, sir."

Billy shuffled the postcards with absent hands and stared down at
them with unseeing eyes. She was gone--and the Captain was not with
her! That much at least was gain. And the fellow was here sick from
his shot hand, apparently. "I hope gangreen sets in," he said
between his teeth.

"You are pleased with me, sir?" the Imp was demanding. "You are glad
of so much clever boy? And you give me that money now to give that
girl? I make her most honest promise--and you see, sir, I am very
honest boy, I tell you all I know and I ask nothing of price yet. I
know that you are honest American man."

At that Billy came out of his brown study and praised the tattered
little Imp with hearty earnestness. He saw no reason to doubt the
boy's story. If he had been trying to invent something in order to
make capital out of him he would hardly have invented that story of
Arlee's departure, for that put an immediate end to further
remunerative investigations in the palace. Of course Billy might be
mistaken, and the boy might be mistaken, but one had to leave
someth