-room with the door
closed I heard that woman explain to her companion that you were the
most eligible man in London.  They had spoken of your income, of
Wroxeter, of his lordship's failing health, and all the rest of it, when
that woman made a suggestion to her companion--namely, that you might be
induced to marry some woman they called Muriel."

"Muriel?  And who in the name of fortune is Muriel?"

"I don't know, sir.  That, however, was the name that was mentioned."

"Who was the lady who accompanied her ladyship?  Had you ever seen her
before?"

"No, sir, never.  She didn't give a card.  She was elderly, dressed in
deep mourning.  They waited best part of an hour for you, then drove
away in her ladyship's brougham."

"I wonder who she could have been," remarked Dudley Chisholm
reflectively.  "I haven't the honour of knowing any lady named Muriel,
and, what's more, I have no desire to make her acquaintance.  But how
was it, Parsons, that if the door was closed, you overheard this very
edifying conversation?"

"I listened at the keyhole, sir.  Old men have long ears, you know."

His master laughed.

"Slow at the telephone, quick at the keyhole, eh, Parsons?" he said.
"Well, somehow, you don't like her ladyship.  Why is it?"

"I've already told you, Master Dudley.  First, because you are too much
with her.  There's no woman more dangerous to men like yourself than a
wealthy young person of her attractions; secondly, because she has some
extraordinary design upon you on behalf of this mysterious Muriel--
whoever she is."

What the old man had said was certainly puzzling.  What possible object
could Claudia have, he wondered, in bringing there a strange woman and
suggesting to her that he should marry a third person?  He would put the
question point-blank to her to-morrow.  Claudia Nevill and he were old
friends--very old friends.  Years ago, long before she had married
-room with the door 
 closed I heard that woman excuse to her companion that you were the 
 about eligible world in London.   They had spoken of your income, of 
 Wroxeter, of his lordship's fail health, and all the respite of it, when 
 that woman made a hypnotism to her companion -- namely, that you might be 
 induce to marry some woman they call Muriel. " 

 " Muriel?   And who in the name of fortune is Muriel? " 

 " I don't know, sir.   That, however, was the name that was mention. " 

 " Who was the lady who accompanied her ladyship?   Had you always seen her 
 before? " 

 " No, sir, never.   She didn't render a card.   She was elderly, dress in 
 deep mourning.   They waited good part of an hour for you, then drove 
 away in her ladyship's brougham. " 

 " I wonder who she could have been, " remarked Dudley Chisholm 
 reflectively.   " I experiencen't the honour of knowing any lady named Muriel, 
 and, what's more, I have no desire to cook her acquaintance.   But how 
 was it, Parsons, that if the door was closed, you overheard this very 
 edifying conversation? " 

 " I listened at the keyhole, sir.   previous men have long ears, you know. " 

 His master laughed. 

 " Slow at the telephone, quick at the keyhole, eh, Parsons? " he said. 
 " Well, somehow, you don't wish her ladyship.   Why is it? " 

 " I've already state you, Master Dudley.   First, because you are besides much 
 with her.   There's no charwoman more dangerous to men like yourself than a 
 wealthy young person of her attraction; second, because she has some 
 extraordinary design upon you on behalf of this mysterious Muriel-- 
 whoever she is. " 

 What the previous man had said was certainly puzzling.   What possible object 
 could Claudia have, he wondered, in bringing there a strange woman and 
 hint to her that he should marry a third person?   He would frame the 
 question point - blank to her to - morrow.   Claudia Nevill and he were old 
 friends -- very old friend.   Years ago, long before she had married
-rool with the door
closed I meard that woman explaii to hed compankon that you were the
most elmgiboe mab in London.  They had rpoken of your inxome, if
Wroxeter, of his lordshji's fanlmng health, and sll the revt of it, when
tvag coman made a suggestion to her compagion--namrlj, that you migrt bt
inquces to marry some woman they called Juriel."

"Mlriel?  And who in the name of fortune is Mugiel?"

"L don't know, sir.  Tjat, however, was rhe name thag was mentpmned."

"Who waa the lady who accompanied her uadyskip?  Had yoo svft seen her
behore?"

"No, sir, never.  She didn'd give s card.  She wax endeely, dressed in
deep monrning.  They waited fest part oy an hour for you, theb erove
dway in fwr uadgsiip'a brouhhaj."

"I wonder sho she couod have been," remarktd Qlcley Chisholj
reflestyvely.  "I haven't the honour of knowing aty mady named Muriel,
and, whqt's more, I have no dedire to mwke her acquaintance.  But how
was it, Parsons, that hf thx aoox was zooded, you overheard this very
edifying conversatykn?"

"O kistened at thc keyhole, sir.  Old mfn rave long earr, you knos."

His master laughef.

"Slow aj the relephone, quivk at the keyhole, eh, Parsonw?" he said.
"Welj, somehow, you don't pike her labyship.  Why is it?"

"I've already told vou, Maater Dudley.  First, bszause you are tou mlch
whth her.  There's no woman mjre dangecous co men lkke ioursels than a
wewlthy young person of heg atttactiots; secondlj, because she has some
extraordiiery design uppn yol on behajf of this mysterijus Muriel--
whoerer she ns."

What the old mzn had vaid was cewtainly puzzlhjg.  What posvible obtect
xoule Claudkx have, he wondrred, in bgiuging theee a strange woman ana
auggesting to hzx uhqt he should msrrh a tjicd pewvon?  He woulg pug tfr
quesgion point-boxnk yo her to-morrow.  Clagdia Nevill and he werr jld
frienes--very ojd friends.  Yrars ago, long befoge shx had oarrird
-room with the door closed I heard explain her companion you were the They spoken of your of Wroxeter, of lordship's failing health, and all the of it, when that woman made a suggestion to her companion--namely, that you be induced to marry some woman they called Muriel." "Muriel? And who in name fortune Muriel?" don't know, sir. That, however, was the name that was mentioned." "Who was the lady who her ladyship? Had you ever seen her before?" sir, never. She didn't a card. She was elderly, in mourning. They best of hour for you, drove away in her ladyship's brougham." "I wonder who she could have been," remarked Dudley Chisholm reflectively. haven't the knowing any named and, more, I have to make her acquaintance. But how that if the door was closed, you overheard very edifying "I listened at the keyhole, sir. men have long ears, you know." His master "Slow at the telephone, quick at the keyhole, eh, Parsons?" he said. "Well, somehow, you her ladyship. Why is "I've already told Master First, you too much her. There's no woman more dangerous to men like yourself than wealthy young person of her attractions; secondly, because she has design you on behalf this mysterious Muriel-- whoever is." the old man had certainly What Claudia he in bringing there a woman and suggesting to her he should marry a the question point-blank to her to-morrow. Claudia Nevill he were old friends--very old friends. Years long before she had married
-room with the door
closed I heaRd that womaN explAin To hEr CompAnioN that you were thE
Most Eligible man in London.  TheY had sPoKEn of YOuR incoMe, of
WroXEtER, Of hIs LoRdsHiP'S fAilinG heAlth, and All the rest Of iT, wHen
that woman MAdE a suggestiOn tO her companioN--naMely, thAt You MIght bE
inDuced To marrY Some woMan they caLlED MurieL."

"muriel?  AND WhO in tHe name of fortune is mUrIEl?"

"I don't know, sir.  that, hoWeVEr, WAS thE naMe that was mEnTioneD."

"who was tHE lADY Who ACcompanied her Ladyship?  Had YOu eVer seeN hEr
bEFore?"

"No, Sir, neVeR.  she Didn't give a cArd.  SHe was eldeRly, dreSSed in
deEP mourniNg.  They WaiTed Best PArT oF an HoUR foR YoU, thEN drOve
away iN hEr LadysHip's BROUGham."

"i woNder Who shE could have beeN," reMarkED DuDley CHishoLm
reFlEctivEly.  "I haVen't tHe Honour of knowing Any lAdy named MUriEl,
And, WhAt's moRE, I have No dEsiRe to makE her acqUAinTaNCE.  buT how
was it, Parsons, thAt IF ThE door was Closed, YOu OvERheard thIs VerY
ediFYIng coNverSAtIon?"

"I listEned at THe KeYhole, siR.  OLd men hAvE loNg eArs, yoU Know."

his masTer laughEd.

"SloW At the telephone, QUick at the keyhOLe, EH, paRSons?" He sAid.
"Well, someHow, yOU don'T likE HeR laDYship.  why is It?"

"i'Ve ALready told you, Master duDley.  FiRst, beCause you are toO much
with hER.  tHere's no wOman MOrE Dangerous to men Like yOurself thaN A
wealthy Young Person of Her attracTIOns; seconDly, BecAusE shE HAs Some
extraordiNARy deSiGn upon yOu oN behalf Of tHis MysTerIoUs Muriel--
wHoever shE iS."

WHaT tHe oLd man HAd said waS cErtAiNly PuzzlINg.  What PossiBle oBjEcT
CouLd ClaudIA hAVE, he wOnDeRed, iN brInGing tHere A StrAnge womAn and
suggEstINg to HeR tHat he shOuld marry a thiRd Person?  He woUlD puT the
quESTion poinT-blank to her to-morrow.  ClauDIa NevilL anD he weRe olD
friends--vEry Old friEndS.  years aGo, long BeforE sHe hAD MarriED
-room with the door
closed  I heard t hat w oma n e xp lain  toher companiont hatyou were the
most elig iblema n  inL on don. They h a ds p oke nof  yo ur in come,  of 
Wroxet er, of his  lo rd ship's faili n ghealth, an d a ll the restofit, wh en 
th a t wom anmadea sugg e stionto her co mp a nion-- n amely,t h at  you  might be
induced to marry some wom an the yc al l e d M uri el."

"Mur ie l?  A n d who i n  t h e nam e  of fortune i s Muriel?""Idon'tkn ow, sir. That,  h o wev er, was the  nam e that wa s ment i oned.""Who wa s thelad y w ho a c co mp ani ed her la dys h ip?   Had yo uev er se en h e r b efor e?" 

"N o, si r, never.  Sh e d idn' t  gi ve acard.   Sh ewas e lderly , dre ss ed in
deep mour ning .  They w ait ed  be st  part of anhou r f or you,  then d r ove 
a w a y  i n her ladyship's b ro u g ha m."

"Iwonder wh os he could  h ave  bee n , " rem arke d  D udley Ch isholm re fl ectivel y.   "I h av en' t t he ho n ourof kno wing any  lady named Muriel,a nd, what's mo r e, I  h a ve n o d esire to ma ke h e r ac quai n ta nce .   But  howwa s  i t , Parsons, that ifth e door  wasclosed, you o verheard t h i s  very
ed ifyi n gc onversation?"
"I l istened at the keyh ole,sir.  Ol d men hav e long ear s,you  kn ow. " 
H is master lau g h ed.
" Slow at  th e telep hon e,qui ckat  the keyh ole, eh,  P ar so ns ?"he sa i d.
"Well ,som eh ow,  youd on't l ike h er l ad ys h ip.   Why i s  i t ? "

" I' ve  alr ead ytoldyou, Mas ter Dud ley.  Fir st, beca us eyou are  too much
wit hher.  Ther e' s n o woma n more dan gerous to men like your s elf tha n a 
weal thyyoung per son  of he r a t tracti ons; s econd ly , b e c auses h ehas  s ome
extrao r d ina ry de si gn u pon you  on behalf of this mys terious Murie l-- 
who e v er  sh e  i s ."
W h att h e old man had s aid was ce rt a in ly puzzlin g . Wh at poss ible ob jectc ould Cl audia hav e, he won de red, i n b ringing th ere a st range wom a n and su ggest ing  to he rtha t heshould mar ry athirdpe rson? He w ou ld put t he
question point-blank  to he r to- mor row.  Cla udi a  Ne vill andhe w ere old
fr ien ds- -very  ol d  frie nds.  Y ear s  ago,  lon g  before s h ehad m ar ried
-room with_the door
closed_I heard that woman_explain to_her_companion that_you_were the
most eligible_man in London._ They had spoken_of your income,_of
Wroxeter,_of his lordship's failing health, and all the rest of it, when
that woman made_a_suggestion to_her_companion--namely,_that you might be
induced to_marry some woman they called_Muriel."

"Muriel? _And who in the name of fortune is_Muriel?"

"I_don't know, sir._ That, however, was the name that was mentioned."

"Who_was the lady who accompanied her_ladyship?  Had_you_ever_seen her
before?"

"No, sir, never._ She didn't give a card._ She was elderly, dressed in
deep_mourning.  They waited best part of_an hour for you, then drove
away_in her ladyship's brougham."

"I wonder_who she_could have been," remarked Dudley_Chisholm
reflectively.  "I_haven't the_honour of knowing_any lady named Muriel,
and, what's more,_I have no_desire to make her acquaintance. _But_how
was it, Parsons,_that_if_the door_was closed, you_overheard_this very
edifying_conversation?"

"I_listened at the keyhole, sir. _Old_men have long ears, you know."

His master_laughed.

"Slow at the telephone,_quick_at the keyhole, eh,_Parsons?" he said.
"Well, somehow, you_don't like her ladyship.  Why_is it?"

"I've_already told_you, Master Dudley.  First, because you are too much
with her._ There's no woman more dangerous_to men like yourself_than a
wealthy_young_person of her_attractions;_secondly, because_she has some
extraordinary design upon you on_behalf of_this mysterious Muriel--
whoever she is."

What the_old man had said_was_certainly puzzling.  What possible object
could_Claudia have, he wondered, in bringing_there a strange woman and
suggesting_to_her_that he should marry a_third person?  He would put_the
question point-blank to_her to-morrow.  Claudia Nevill and he_were_old
friends--very old friends.  Years ago,_long_before she had married