"Yes. She's from Missouri."
"I took the next train for Kalamazoo, perfectly dead sure I was on their track. I monkeyed around there one week. Nice place. But I tell you I didn't enjoy it! I got a lot of clues there from hackmen and gatemen that were sure they had seen these people, but a pile of good they did me! You see I was so sure they were in Kalamazoo that I made that sort of headquarters and when I had exhausted one lead would go back there to take up another. Well, finally, I made up my mind that I would go back over this little South Haven road and take the boat for Chicago. I got here about half-past four yesterday and while idling away the time at the life-saving station, before the boat left, who should I see across the river but the woman and child I had been scouring the country for!"
"Fool luck!" said Harcourt. "Nothing short of it. I wonder if that isn't the way a lot of you fellows rise to eminence in your profession."
"Say—do you think she is going back without that warrant?"
"Can't tell. I hope so. I think it will depend somewhat on the telegram. And there it comes now."
Mrs. Pennybacker was at the door to receive it. She had been watching for it behind the curtains, and called to Margaret that it had come. They read it on the porch. Smeltzer, with a delicacy that they hardly expected from him, had turned his back upon them and appeared absorbed in the view of the lake.
The telegram ran:
"Come peaceably by all means. Will try to arrange matters.
"Kirtley."
"Tell him I will go." said Margaret, in a voice of despair. She had promised Mrs. Pennybacker that the telegram should decide it.