perhaps I won't. Mr. White, indeed!" And she ran off to join her friends.
The barrister drove quietly homewards. This was his summary of the evening's events: "I have found two women. When I know all about them I shall be able to lay my hand on the person who killed Lady Dyke."
CHAPTER VIII
IN THE CITY
Messrs. Dodge & Co., of Leadenhall Street, possessed business premises of greater pretensions than Bruce had pictured to himself from Mrs. Hillmer's description of their transactions with her brother.
Not only were their offices commodious and well situated, but a liberal display of gold lettering, intermingled with official brass plates marking the registering offices of many companies, gave evidence of some degree of importance--whether fictitious or otherwise Bruce could not determine, as he scrutinized the exterior of the building on the following morning.
Moreover, workmen were even then busy in substituting the title "Dodge, Son & Co., Ltd.," for "Messrs. Dodge & Company," the suggestive nature of the latter designation having perhaps proved a stumbling-block in the way of the guileless investor.
When the barrister entered the office, a busy place, a hive of many clerks, and adorned with gigantic maps of the Rand, West Australia, Cripple Creek, and Klondike, he asked for "Mr. Dodge."
His card procured him ready admission. He was shown into an elaborately upholstered apartment of considerable size. At the farther end, seated in front of a gorgeous American desk, was a young man who ostentatiously finished a letter and then motioned the barrister to a seat.
Bruce was curious on the question of the age of the head of the firm.
"Are you Mr. Dodge, or the son?" he said, with the utmost gravity.
The other was taken back by this unexpected method of opening the conversation. It annoyed him.
"I am the representative of the firm, sir, and fully able to deal with your business, whatever it may be," he replied.
"No doubt. But it will simplify matters if I know exactly to whom I am addressing myself."
After an uneasy shuffling in his seat--he could not guess what this keen-faced, earnest-eyed lawyer might want--the representative of Messrs. Dodge, Son & Co. (Limited) explained that he was Dodge, and the name of the firm had been adopted for general purposes.
"Then there is no 'son,' I take it."
"Yes, there is, sir,"--this with a snort of anger.
"How old is he?"
"What the Dickens has that got to do with it? Will you kindly tell me what you want, sir, as my time is fully occupied?"
"Just now I want to know how old the 'son' is?"
This calm persistence irritated Mr. Dodge beyond endurance.
"Three years, confound you, and his sister is four months. Can I oblige you with any more details concerning my family affairs?"
Having purposely raised this man to 

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