“Oh, Detective Carter, do you say so?”
“And who knows, Miss Royal, but that we yet may lead him to do so, and your father into regarding the matter in a rather different light.”
“Oh, if we only could!”
“But do not enthuse too quickly, my dear,” laughed Nick. “The job is yet to be done, as we detectives say, and the task must be yours and mine alone. No third party must be admitted to our secret, mind you.”
“Trust me, I will do whatever you advise,” declared Dora, now quite aglow with reawakened hopes. “I am sure you mean to be my friend, Detective Carter, and I will trust you blindly.”
“I think you will never regret it,” bowed Nick, gently pressing the hand she impulsively had given him. “You need not tell me that you love Mr. Flood, for I already know it.”
“Ah, sir, he has been so kind and generous; so attentive to us all, and so gentle and dignified——”
“Well, well, never mind that,” smiled Nick. “All that is like Mr. Flood. Tell me, however, if any one else suspects your affection.”
“Oh, no, sir. Indeed, no!”
“So I inferred.”