"Mr. Belknap, the detective," she persisted, and then seeing that he hesitated over his answer, she added, "I am Jasper Lamotte's daughter, and know that he expects you."
"I am the man Mr. Lamotte expects," he said, throwing down the reins and springing from the buggy. "Is Mr. Lamotte at home?"
"My father is in the library," she replied, coming still nearer him, "follow me, Mr. Belknap, I will send a servant to take your horse."
He followed her up the steps, and across the broad piazza; as they passed under the shadow of the arched doorway, she paused, looked about her, and then, drawing close to the detective and laying one hand lightly on his arm, she whispered:
"Mr. Belknap, I have a word for your ear alone. Can you meet me to-night where we shall be secure from intrusion?"
Her burning eyes searched his face, and accustomed as he was to strange situations, Mr. Belknap was startled for a moment out of his self-possession.
"I have need of your professional services," she hurried on, "and they must be rendered very secretly. Will you hear what I have to say?"
The beautiful face was full of wild eagerness, and Mr. Belknap was not insensible to the piquancy of the situation.
"I am yours to command, madam. Name the place and hour," he replied gallantly.
"Then meet me at the boat house, you can see it from here, to-night at nine. Be sure you are not followed, and—above all, do not mention to my father, or any one, this meeting of ours. You will be punctual?"