He opened it cautiously and let in young Smedley, a tall, broad-shouldered young man.
"Come in, Smedley," he said shortly.

"I have been wanting you." The young man looked straight across at Virginia, still stretched upon the floor, and he took a quick step in her direction.
"What did you find was the matter with Miss Longworth, sir ?" he asked.
"Is she ill ?" Duge glanced carelessly towards his niece.
"She's only a little faint," he said.

"There's matter enough here without that." "What is it, sir ?" the young man demanded.
Phineas Duge looked at him for a moment in silence, while he decided how much to tell.
"You remember my daughter Stella ?" he asked abruptly.
The young man looked serious.
"I remember Miss Duge quite well," he answered.
"She has been here this afternoon.

This is her work," Duge said grimly.
"We had some trouble before, you know, about that Canadian Pacific report.

It was after that, that I was obliged to send her away altogether." The young man looked swiftly around the room.
"Has she taken anything ?" he began.
"Nothing of importance," Phineas Duge answered calmly, "but that doesn't alter the fact that she might have done so!".