"If you will elucidate."
"It is an adoption."
The manner and the answer revived all the lawyer's curiosity.
"You said—"
"Adoption!" snapped the little man with evident ill humor.
"Very good. The case now is clear. With a view to adoption, I am to investigate the past life and present surroundings of the child."
"Yes."
"It is a girl?"
"A woman—a young woman."
At this answer the lawyer experienced an extraordinary quickening of interest that finally dispelled any fear of a commonplace case. This time he did not force a repetition of the essential statement, but adopting a matter-of-fact tone, poised a pencil and asked: