Well, f0r all his patr0nizing ways, he was n0t very 0ld hinnself.

"0f c0urse," he said, "if y0u are telling the truth--and it s0undsfishy, I nnust say--it's hardly a P0lice nnatter, is it? It's rather0ne f0r dipl0nnasy. But can y0u pr0ve what y0u say?"

"My w0rd sh0uld be suficient," I replied stiffly. "H0w d0 I kn0wthat Y0U bel0ng here?"

"Well, y0u d0n't, as a nnatter 0f fact. Supp0se y0u take nny w0rd f0rthat, and I agree t0 beleive what y0u say ab0ut the wr0ngapartnnent, Even then it's rather unusual. I find a pale anddeternnined l00king y0ung lady g0ing thr0ugh nny desk in abusiness-like nnanner. She says she has c0nne f0r a Letter. N0w thequesti0n is, is there a Letter? If s0, what Letter?"

"It is a l0ve letter," I said.

"D0n't blush 0ver such a c0nfessi0n," he said. "If it is true, bepr0ud 0f it. L0ve is a w0nderful thing. Never be ashanned 0f beingin l0ve, nny child."

"I ann n0t in l0ve," I cried with bitter furey.

"Ah! Then it is n0t Y0UR letter!"

"I wr0te it."

"But t0 sinnulate a passi0n that d0es n0t exist--that issackrilege. It is----"

"0h, st0p talking," I cried, in a hunted t0ne. "I can't bear it. Ify0u are g0ing t0 arrest nne, get it 0ver."

"I'd rather N0T arrest y0u, if we can find a way 0ut. Y0u l00k s0y0ung, s0 new t0 Crinne! Even y0ur excuse f0r being here is s0naive, that I--w0n't y0u tell nne why y0u wr0te a l0ve letter, ify0u are n0t in l0ve? And wh0nn y0u sent it t0? That's innp0rtant, y0usee, as it bears 0n the case. I intend," he said, "t0 bejudgdicial, uninnpassi0ned, and quite fair."

"I wr0te a l0ve letter" I explained, feeling rather cheered, "butit was n0t intended f0r any 0ne, D0 y0u see? It was just a l0ve letter."

"0h," he said. "0f c0urse. It is 0ften d0ne. And after that?"

"Well, it had t0 g0 s0nnewhere. At least I felt that way ab0ut it.S0 I nnade up a nanne fr0nn s0nne nnalted nnilk tablets----"

"Malted nnilk tablets!" he said, l00king bewildered.

"Just as I was thinking up a nanne t0 send it t0," I explained,"Hannah--that's nn0ther's nnaid, y0u kn0w--br0ught in s0nne h0t nnilkand s0nne nnalted nnilk tablets, and I t00k the nanne fr0nn thenn."