"Please do not, Mr. Trant," the girl begged bravely.
"Thank you. Mr. Bronson, I believe, was still boarding on Superior Street at a bachelor's boarding house?"
"Yes," the girl replied. "It is kept by Mrs. Mitchell, a very respectable widow with a little boy. Randolph had boarded with her for six years. She had once been in great trouble and he was kind to her. He often spoke of how she gave him motherly care."
"Motherly?" Trant asked. "How old is she?"
"Twenty-seven or eight, I should think."
"Thank you. How long had you known Mr. Bronson, Miss Allison?"
"A little over two years."
"Yes; and intimately, how long?"
"Almost from the first."
"But you were not engaged to him until just the week before his death?"
"Yes; our engagement was not made known till just two days before his—death."
"Inspector Walker, how long before Mr. Bronson was killed was any of the 'ring' likely to put him out of their way?"
"For two weeks at least."
"It fits Crowley's case, of course, as well as—any other," said Trant, thoughtfully, "that two days after the announcement of his engagement was the first time anyone could actually catch him alone. But it is worth noting, inspector. Mr. Bronson called upon you that evening, Miss Allison? Everything was as usual between you?"
"Entirely, Mr. Trant. Of course we both recog-
