“‘Did you drop this letter here, doctor?’ she carelessly observed, as I came round so as to confront her.
“‘Yes, I believe I did; I must have dropped it when I took out my pocket case a while ago.’
“‘I should like to know what you are doing with that letter, Doctor Demar? I see that it was not addressed to you.’
“I was considerably puzzled by this question, because I did not know what sort of an answer I ought to make; but it occurred to my mind that it would be advisable to rouse her curiosity still higher if I could. Having made up my mind to act on that idea, I carelessly observed that there was a great secret connected with that letter, which I did not consider myself at liberty to reveal.
“‘Now I should like very much to know what great secret Ben Bowles could have to communicate to that woman?’
“‘Why do you mention Mr. Bowles’ name in connection with that letter, Miss Clattermouth?’
“‘Oh, that is a great secret, which I do not consider myself at liberty to reveal,’ she said in a tantalizing tone, which convinced me that she was piqued because I had mentioned a secret. ‘It is a mystery to me,’ she continued, ‘why Mr. Bowles should constitute you as his messenger, to carry his letters to that woman!’
“‘What has Ben Bowles got to do with it?’
“‘I hope, Doctor Demar, that you do not consider me an idiot?’
“‘Indeed, madame, I do not; but on the contrary, I have set you down in my mind as one of the cleverest ladies in Memphis; but what has that to do with the question I propounded to you?’