Page:Harold Macgrath--The girl in his house.djvu/115

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THE GIRL IN HIS HOUSE

"Since the purchase of the house. This office is always on the side of law and justice. The young lady is not in any danger whatever. In fact, she knows nothing."

Suppose I acquaint her with the fact?"

That's rather a poser. Our orders are that she must not know."

"Satisfy all my doubts, and she shall know nothing from me."

"Until January first we are her legal guardians, as you might say. Our business is to see that her servants are honest, what they do and how they act, to note who comes and goes, where she goes and what she does and with whom she makes friends, and to send in our report fortnightly."

"Her father?"

"There you have touched the queer side of this affair. I don't know who my client is. A fat certified check was sent to us in April with instructions. Our client knew what our terms were, and the check covered everything up to January first. Our reports are sent to the Italian consulate in New Orleans, whence no doubt they are forwarded to our client's actual address. You

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