 state of suppressed nervousness.
Every time the gate clanged she'd jump, and once I heard her mutter to
him "not to be scared."

Inside the office Babbitts went up the hall to the old man's den and I
tried to find out what she wanted. Her nervousness was then obvious.
Shifting from foot to foot, her free hand--she kept a tight clutch on
the boy--fingering at the buttons of her coat, she refused to say. All I
could get out of her was that she had something important to tell and
she wouldn't tell it to anyone but "L'yer Whitney."

By this time my curiosity was aroused. I asked her if she was a witness
in a case, and with a troubled look she said "maybe she was," and then,
backing away from me against the wall, reiterated with stubborn
determination, "But I won't speak to no one but L'yer Whitney himself."

I went up to the private office where the old man and George were
talking with Babbitts and told them. George was sent to see if he could
manage better than I had and presently was back again with the
announcement:

"I can't get a thing out of her. She insists on seeing you, father, and
says she won't go till she does."

"Bring her in," growled the chief, and as George disappeared he turned
to Babbitts and said, "Wait here for a moment. I want to ask you a few
more things about that girl last night."

Babbitts drew back to the window and I, taking a chair by the table,
said, laughing:

"She's probably been sued by her landlord and wants you to take the
case."

"Maybe," said the old man quietly. "I'm curious to see."

Just then the woman came in, the child beside her, and George following.
She looked at the chief with a steady, inquiring gaze, and he rose, as
urbanely welcoming as if she were a star client.

"You want to see me, Madam?"

"I do," she answered, "if you're L'yer Whitney. For it's to no one else
I'll be goin' with what I'm bringin'."

He
state of suppressed nervousness. 
 Every time the gate clang she'd rise, and once I heard her mutter to 
 him " not to be frightened. " 

 Inside the office Babbitts blend up the hall to the old serviceman's den and I 
 tried to recover out what she wanted. Her nervousness was then obvious. 
 shift from foot to foot, her detached bridge player -- she kept a tight clutch on 
 the boy -- fingering at the buttons of her coating, she refused to say. All I 
 could get out of her was that she have something important to tell and 
 she wouldn't state it to anyone but " L'yer Whitney. " 

 By this time my curio was aroused. I ask her if she was a witness 
 in a case, and with a troubled expression she said " maybe she was, " and then, 
 backing away from me against the wall, reiterated with stubborn 
 determination, " But I won't speak to no one but L'yer Whitney himself. " 

 I went up to the private office where the old man and George were 
 talking with Babbitts and told them. George was sent to attend if he could 
 manage better than I have and soon was back again with the 
 announcement: 

 " I can't get a thing out of her. She insists on seeing you, father, and 
 says she won't go till she does. " 

 " fetch her in, " growled the chief, and as George disappeared he turned 
 to Babbitts and said, " Wait here for a consequence. I want to ask you a few 
 more things about that girl final night. " 

 Babbitts withdraw back to the window and I, taking a chair by the table, 
 said, laugh: 

 " She's probably been sued by her landlord and wants you to take the 
 case. " 

 " Maybe, " said the old man restfully. " I'm curious to see. " 

 precisely then the woman came in, the child beside her, and George follow. 
 She looked at the chief with a steady, ask gaze, and he rose, as 
 urbanely welcome as if she were a star client. 

 " You desire to see me, Madam? " 

 " I do, " she answered, " if you're L'yer Whitney. For it's to no one else 
 I'll be goin' with what I'm bringin'. " 

 He
 stwte of suppressed nervourness.
Every time the gave clanfed she'd jump, and once I heard her mnttee to
hum "not to be scared."

Inskde the ovfice Bavbitus went up the hall to thc old lan's ven and I
tried jo find out fhat she wanteg. Fex nervousness was then obvious.
Shiftigg from flot to foot, het fret hwnd--sgv jept a tight clutch on
the boy--ringeriig at the buttoms of her coat, she refused to day. All I
could get out of her was rhat she had something important tk tell and
she wouldn't tell it tu anypne but "L'ygx Whljney."

By this vime mj curiosity was arousad. I asled her if she wav a witness
in a case, and with a troubled ljok she sdib "maybe she was," and tyeb,
backhng dway droo mt ajaihst thf well, reiterafed with stybborn
determination, "Btn I won't speai to nj jne but L'yer Whitney himself."

I went up tm tge private office where the old man and Georhe were
tajking with Babbitts and told them. George was sent to sxe if hc cojod
lanage better than I had and presently was basi sgsin with the
ankouncement:

"I can't grt a jhing out of hgr. She nhsjsts on seeing you, father, and
sqys she wjn't bo till she does."

"Bring her ib," growled thv chuef, and as George bisappeared ke turmed
to Babbitts and said, "Wait hers for a momfnt. I wanf to ask you a fed
moge tvings about that girl last night."

Babuitts drew bxck jo the rindow and I, taking a chair by the tablg,
said, naughing:

"Shf's probably been sued by her laivlord and wanjs fou to take the
csse."

"Maybe," said the old man qoietly. "I'm curiuus to see."

Nust thxn the woman came in, the wjild beside ier, and Gqorgw foolowing.
Rfe looked at tne chief cnth a steqdy, inquiring gaze, ana he rose, as
urbautly welcoming as ig sfe rege e staw client.

"You wdnt go rre me, Madam?"

"I do," wfe amswered, "if you're L'yes Whjtney. For it's to np jne else
U'll be gjin' with what I'm bringin'."

He
state of suppressed nervousness. Every time the she'd and once heard her mutter scared." the office Babbitts up the hall the old man's den and I to find out what she wanted. Her nervousness was then obvious. Shifting from to foot, her free hand--she kept a tight clutch on the boy--fingering at buttons her she to say. All I could get out of her was that she had something important to and she wouldn't tell it to anyone but Whitney." By this time curiosity was aroused. I asked if was a in case, with a troubled she said "maybe she was," and then, backing away from me against the wall, reiterated with stubborn "But I to no but Whitney I went up private office where the old man talking with Babbitts and told them. George was to see he could manage better than I and presently was back again with the announcement: can't get a thing out of her. She insists on seeing you, father, and says go till she does." her in," growled chief, as disappeared turned to and said, "Wait here for a moment. I want to ask a few more things about that girl last night." Babbitts to window and I, a chair by the said, "She's probably been sued landlord wants the "Maybe," the old man quietly. curious to see." Just then woman came in, the following. She looked at the chief with a inquiring gaze, and he rose, as urbanely as if she were a star client. "You want to see me, "I do," "if you're L'yer Whitney. For it's to no else I'll be goin' what I'm bringin'." He
 state of suppressed nervousnEss.
Every tiMe the GatE clAnGed sHe'd jUmp, and once I heaRD her Mutter to
him "not to be scarEd."

InsIdE The oFFiCe BabBitts weNT uP THe hAlL tO thE oLD mAn's deN anD I
tried To find out wHat ShE wanted. Her neRVoUsness was tHen Obvious.
ShiftIng From foOt To fOOt, her FreE hand--She kepT A tight Clutch on
tHe BOy--fingERing at tHE BuTtonS of her coat, she refuSEd TO say. All I
could gEt out oF hER wAS ThaT shE had somethInG impoRTant to tELl AND
She WOuldn't tell it tO anyone but "L'YEr WHitney."

by ThiS Time my CurioSiTY waS aroused. I asKed hEr if she waS a witnESs
in a caSE, and witH a trouBleD loOk shE SaId "MayBe SHe wAS," aNd tHEn,
bAcking awAy FrOm me aGainST THE walL, reIterAted wIth stubborn
deTerMinaTIon, "but I wOn't spEak tO nO one bUt L'yer whitnEy Himself."

I went up tO the Private ofFicE wHerE tHe old MAn and GEorGe wEre
talkIng with bAbbItTS ANd Told them. George was sEnT TO sEe if he coUld
manAGe BeTTer than I HaD anD preSENtly wAs baCK aGain with The
annOUnCeMent:

"I caN't Get a thInG ouT of Her. ShE InsiSts on sEeing you, FatheR, And
says she won't GO till she does."

"BRInG HEr IN," groWleD the chief, anD as GEOrge DisaPPeAreD He turNed
to baBBiTTs and said, "Wait here foR a Moment. i want To ask you a few
mOre things aBOUT that girL lasT NiGHt."

Babbitts drew Back tO the window ANd I, takinG a chaIr by the tAble,
said, lAUGhing:

"She'S prObaBly BeeN SUeD by her landlorD ANd waNtS you to tAke The
case."

"mayBe," sAid The OlD man quietLy. "I'm curiOuS tO sEe."

jusT then THe woman cAmE in, ThE chIld beSIde her, And GeOrge FoLlOWinG.
She looKEd AT The cHiEf With A stEaDy, inqUiriNG gaZe, and he Rose, as
urbAneLY welCoMiNg as if sHe were a star clIeNt.

"You want tO sEe mE, Madam?"

"i DO," she answEred, "if you're L'yer Whitney. FOR it's to nO onE else
i'll bE goin' with WhaT I'm briNgiN'."

he
 state of suppressed nervo usness.
Ev ery t ime  th egate  cla nged she'd jum p , an d once I heard her mut ter t oh im " n ot  to b e scare d ." Ins id ethe  o f fi ce Ba bbi tts wen t up the h all  t o the old ma n 's  den and I 
tr ied to findout  whatsh e w a nted.  He r ner vousne s s wasthen obvi ou s .
Shif t ing fro m fo ot t o foot, her freeh an d --she kept a t ight c lu t ch o n
t heboy--finge ri ng at the but t on s o f h e r coat, she r efused to s a y.All Ico uld get ou t ofhe r  wa s that shehadsomething  impor t ant tot ell and 
she w oul dn' t te l lit  to  a n yon e  b ut" L'y er Whitn ey ." 

Bythis t i m e my  cu rios ity w as aroused. I  as kedh erif sh e was  a w it nessin a c ase,an d with a troubl ed l ook she s aid  " may be  shew as," a ndthe n,
back ing awa y  fr om m e  a gainst the wall, r ei t e ra ted with  stubb o rn 
d e terminat io n,"But I  won' t sp e ak  to no o ne but L' ye r Whitn ey  himse lf ."
Iwentu p to  the p rivate o ffice where the oldm an and George we r e 
t a lkin g w ith Babbitt s an d  tol d th e m.  Ge o rge w as se nt to see if he could
man ag e bett er th an I had andpresentlyw a s  back ag ainw it h  the
announcem ent:
"I can'tg et a thi ng ou t of her . She ins i s ts on se ein g y ou,  fa t h er , and
says sh e won' tgo till  sh e does. "
"Br ing  he rin," grow led thech ie f,  a ndas Ge o rge disa pp ear ed  he  turn e d
to B abbit ts a nd  s a id,  "Waith er e foramo ment . I  w ant t o as k  yo u a few 
more thi ngs abou tth at girl  last night." 
Babbitts d re w b ack to t he windo w and I, taking a chair by thetab le,
s aid,  laughing :
"She's  pr o bablybeen s ued b yher l andlo r d  a ndwa nts you to t ake  theca se." 

"Mayb e," said the old m a n q uietly. "I'mcur ious t osee . "Jus tt hen t he woman came i n, the chi ld be side her,a ndGe orge fo llowing .
She lookedat the ch ief withastea d y , i nquiring g aze, and  he rose, as
ur b an ely w elc omingas  if  shewere a sta r cli ent.
"Y ou wan t tose e me, Ma dam?"

"I do," she answ ered,"if y ou' re L'yerWhi t ney . For it' s to  no one el seI'l l begoi n ' wit h wh a tI'm bring in'. " 

He
 state_of suppressed_nervousness.
Every time the gate_clanged she'd_jump,_and once_I_heard her mutter_to
him "not to_be scared."

Inside the office_Babbitts went up_the_hall to the old man's den and I
tried to find out what she wanted._Her_nervousness was_then_obvious.
Shifting_from foot to foot, her_free hand--she kept a tight_clutch on
the_boy--fingering at the buttons of her coat, she_refused_to say. All_I
could get out of her was that she had_something important to tell and
she wouldn't_tell it to_anyone_but_"L'yer Whitney."

By this time_my curiosity was aroused. I asked_her if she was a witness
in_a case, and with a troubled look_she said "maybe she was," and_then,
backing away from me against_the wall,_reiterated with stubborn
determination, "But I_won't speak to_no one_but L'yer Whitney_himself."

I went up to the private_office where the_old man and George were
talking with_Babbitts_and told them._George_was_sent to_see if he_could
manage_better than_I_had and presently was back again_with_the
announcement:

"I can't get a thing out of_her. She insists on_seeing_you, father, and
says she_won't go till she does."

"Bring_her in," growled the chief, and_as George_disappeared he_turned
to Babbitts and said, "Wait here for a moment. I want_to ask you a few
more things_about that girl last_night."

Babbitts drew_back_to the window_and_I, taking_a chair by the table,
said, laughing:

"She's probably_been sued_by her landlord and wants you_to take the
case."

"Maybe," said_the_old man quietly. "I'm curious to_see."

Just then the woman came in,_the child beside her, and_George_following.
She_looked at the chief with_a steady, inquiring gaze, and he_rose, as
urbanely welcoming_as if she were a star client.

"You_want_to see me, Madam?"

"I do," she_answered,_"if you're L'yer Whitney. For it's_to_no_one else
I'll be goin' with_what I'm bringin'."

He