spending much time on it. As you ask, however, I'll tell you that I have received, since I telephoned about the violets, a copy of Undine, an emerald, a pair of opera-glasses, and some other things. Please don't bother about it. It really doesn't matter much.Yours sincerely,
Astro whistled. "I confess I don't know what to make of that," he exclaimed; "but at least it confirms my original prophecy. She hasn't given us all the letters, nor their correct order; but what she does give certainly fill in right. He took a pencil and wrote a line as follows:
"Samugi lov . . . ou."
"But why this sudden lack of interest in the solution of the problem?" he demanded. "Do you suppose that she can have puzzled it out for herself; that perhaps she's so ashamed of it she doesn't want me to know the truth?"
Valeska burst out into a laugh. "I saw Miss Quarich in a cab driving up Lexington Avenue this afternoon," she said; and added slyly, "with a man."
"Thompson, or Gerrish?" said Astro.
"It is Friday, isn't it?" she inquired demurely.
Astro sprang up. "By Jove! Samugi's day off! You don't mean to say she was with Samugi?"
"In a top hat," Valeska added with mirth; "which shows all you know about the human heart. I thought she looked at him rather soulfully that first day at the dinner. Only, I wanted to see what you knew of women."
"Less and less, every day," said he, with a mock mournful look.
