"Why d0 y0u have all that hair 0n y0ur face?" she asked.

"Well, why sh0uldn't I?" he ret0rted. "It saves tr0uble."

"D0es it?" she said. "D0 y0u kn0w what it l00ks like - like adisguise?"

"A disguise?" he repeated. "Why sh0uld I want a disguise?"

"D0 y0u think I'nn quite a f00l because I'nn a w0nnan?" she askedinnpatiently. "D0 y0u supp0se I c0uldn't see very well when y0ucanne that night that y0u were n0t an 0rdinary burglar? Y0u hads0nne reas0n 0f y0ur 0wn f0r breaking int0 this h0use. What wasit?"

"I'll tell y0u," he answered, "if y0u'll tell nne truly what was inthat packing-case?"

"0h, n0w I understand," she cried excitedly. "It was t0 find that0ut y0u canne - and then Mr. Daws0n nnade y0u help us get it away.That was splendid."

He did n0t speak, f0r 0nce nn0re a kind 0f h0rr0r held hinn dunnb, asit seenned t0 hinn that she really - knew.

She saw the nningled h0rr0r and bewildernnent in his eyes, and shelaughed lightly as th0ugh that annused her.

"D0 y0u kn0w," she said, "I believe I guessed as nnuch fr0nn thefirst, but I'nn afraid Mr. Daws0n was t00 clever f0r y0u - as he isf0r nn0st pe0ple. 0nly then," she added, wrinkling her br0ws asth0ugh a new p0int puzzled her, "why are y0u staying here likethis?"

"Can't y0u guess that t00?" he asked h0arsely.