CHAPTER IX.
"Jane Morton!" cried Speed; "who is she ?" "She is, as you may remember, the girl who carried the coffee from Mrs.
Brenton to monsieur." "And are you sure she is the criminal ?" The great detective did not answer; he merely gave an expressive little French gesture, as though the question was not worth commenting upon.
"Why, what was her motive ?" asked Speed.
For the first time in their acquaintance a shade of perplexity seemed to come over the enthusiastic face of the volatile Frenchman.
"You are what you call smart, you Chicago people," he said, "and you have in a moment struck the only point on which we are at a loss." "My dear sir," returned Speed, "that is _the_ point in the case.

Motive is the first thing to look for, it seems to me.

You said as much yourself.

If you haven't succeeded in finding what motive Jane Morton had for poisoning her employer, it appears to me that very little has been accomplished." "Ah, you say that before you know the particulars.

I am certain we shall find the motive.