"My dear Ross!" The grey little man glanced up in mild deprecation from a heap of yellowed parchments as the other burst in upon him. "I trust my abrupt intrusion on your conference did not complicate matters for you. I had completely forgotten, in my enthusiasm over the young woman's remarkable work, that she was a subject for your own especial study."
"On the contrary, Professor, your entrance was fortunate; it lent verisimilitude to the little farce I have been playing with your valuable assistance. But I want to ask you a question upon which much depends. For whom did you mistake Miss Shaw, when you first saw her?"
Professor Carmody pondered for a space.
"I do not know," he responded at length, thoughtfully. "I cannot recall her name, but I was forcibly reminded of a young girl whom I had met in Cairo some two years ago, who was studying under Professor Mallory. When Miss Shaw turned her head I realized my mistake at once, for the girl I speak of had no blemish upon her face. It is rather odd, as the translation bears unmistakable earmarks of Professor Mallory's tutelage, but the association of ideas is undoubtedly responsible for my misapprehension."
"Undoubtedly," echoed Ross. "Nevertheless, if you can recall the name of the young woman in Cairo, by any chance, I shall be grateful."
It was Professor Carmody's turn to halt his visitor at the door.
"This Miss Shaw to whom you just presented me—I trust that, er, she is not under your professional interest as a suspect? A young person of such a high order of intelligence, of intellectuality——"
"By no means, Professor. She is merely an unimportant witness in a civil case; rather curious, but with no criminal features. I'll look in on you tomorrow. Try to remember the other girl's name for me; the one in Cairo."
Twenty minutes later, when the young detective was ushered into the presence of Madame Dumois, even that astute lady could read nothing in his grave non-committal face.
"You have found her?" The aged voice quivered with the tension of her control, but there was no hint of a tenderer emotion. "The young person you suspected, is she the original of the photograph I showed you?"