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not. And young Craddock is getting well. And the Groves earn their salaries, I suppose.”
    â€œIs there any record of mental disease in the Fenway family—or on the Kane side of the connection?”
    â€œNot that I ever heard of. The only neurotic I ever knew about was Mrs. Kane, and with her it was only hysterics and bad temper.”
    â€œWhy on earth didn’t she allow her daughter to marry Cort Fenway in the beginning?”
    â€œHe wasn’t a catch then. Mrs. Kane wouldn’t care anything about family or distinction, she only wanted money to be kept in luxury on. Cort didn’t have much until his father died.”
    â€œDid the old gentleman know that Alden Fenway was mentally deficient when he left him the capital of half his property?”
    â€œGood Heavens, no! He died when the poor child was only two. I don’t think he and old Mrs. Fenway approved of that match, you know; they detested Mrs. Kane. But they had a horror of family dissension, and they were so fond of Cort, and Belle was supposed to have settled down; then Mrs. Kane died, and Cort was given a nice income. It’s so sad—he didn’t live to enjoy it more than two or three years.”
    â€œAnd the name of Fenway dies with the unfortunate Alden. How about old Mrs. Fenway, Cort’s mother? When did she depart?”
    â€œJust before old Mr. Fenway did.”
    Gamadge passed cigarettes to Miss Vauregard, took one himself, and lighted hers and his own. He asked: “Did you see this Mrs. Grove when you called on Mrs. Cort Fenway two years ago?”
    â€œYes. It’s extraordinary how little changed she is since boarding school. She must be fifty-five at least, she was a year or so older than Belle; but she’s the same quiet, determined little thing, only drier and cooler. She had a lot of moral influence, you know, and a will of iron. I thought Belle seemed very meek with her even now; she was laying down the law to poor Belle about their fancywork. They’re doing an immense job of needle point for the drawing-room furniture.”
    â€œYou didn’t see young Craddock or the Grove girl?”
    â€œNo, he was out walking with Alden, and I think the girl was up at Fenbrook. She was going over the books up there for Blake, and Belle said some of them were turning out to be quite valuable. They had book catalogues on the table; quite keen they were.”
    â€œI ought to get on with the whole family—when you’ve given me that letter of introduction to Mr. Blake Fenway.”
    â€œHenry, if I’m to introduce you I must know why!”
    â€œIt’s part of an enquiry on behalf of a client who wishes to remain anonymous.”
    â€œPlease do it, Aunt Robbie,” begged Clara. “You know Henry wouldn’t ask you unless it was very important.”
    â€œWell, I suppose I can oblige with a clear conscience; there can’t be anything wrong at Number 24.”
    Clara’s chow stepped into the room. He paused to convince himself that there was no feline presence on the hearth, and then walked over and lay down in front of the fire.
    Gamadge said, smiling at Miss Vauregard: “We have two tawny animals in the house. They belong to races that don’t as a rule get on, but they get on very well; if they didn’t, one of them would have to go, and they know it as well as Clara and I do.”
    â€œYes, but Henry, these are animals!” When he said nothing, but continued to smoke and to look at her smilingly, she waved her hands, expressing surrender. “Very well, but you’ll have to tell me what to say.”
    â€œI’d like to call you up after I’ve seen a bookseller named Hall. Blake Fenway has dealings with him, and he may give us a lead.”
    Gamadge rose. “It’s Saturday, but I don’t think he’ll have left his office; he practically lives there. I’ll call him.”
    The telephone conversation took