The Case and The Girl | Page 4

his companion, he had until this moment, taken no note
of things without, nor did his eyes rest now upon any familiar scene.
They were swiftly, and noiselessly, passing blocks of respectable

residences, none of these particularly distinguished. Her sudden
invitation rather startled him.
"You mean I am to question you freely."
"Assuredly; while I am to remain quite as free in my answers. That is
perfectly fair, is it not?"
"At least, it sounds so. Where am I being transported then? And why
the dress-suit?"
His questions evidently amused, for her eyes sparkled.
"Naturally that query comes first; and especially the dress-suit. You
have the prejudices of your sex, I see, and without regret. I shall
endeavour to reply catagorically, yet with reservations. We are going to
a country home, where we dine, in company with a few guests."
"I see; I am first of all to be projected into society. Are any of these
guests known to me?"
"God forbid; and I may even venture to predict that you will never care
to know any of them again. You are to be present as my guest, and will
so be welcomed."
"I feel the honour; but would it not be well under these circumstances
for me to know more clearly whose guest I am? Suppose, for instance, I
had to refer to our long friendship, it would be extremely awkward not
to even be able to mention your name."
"My name! Why, of course, you do not know what it is. Well, really I
am not altogether certain that I do either. We will therefore
compromise on the one I am known by; which will be safer. Allow me,
Captain West, to present to you Miss Natalie Coolidge."
She held out frankly a neatly gloved hand, which he as instantly took,
and retained in his own, the girl making no immediate effort to
withdraw it.

"This is very kind of you, Miss Coolidge," he acknowledged, adapting
himself to her present mood. "But it seems there is no necessity for me
to present myself. Apparently my identity is already known."
"Otherwise you would not be among those present," she admitted
frankly. "You must surely realize that I needed, at least, to have some
information relative to a man in whom I expected to confide. Telling
secrets--especially family secrets--to strangers is not my specialty."
"Then, I judge you have not accepted me blindly?"
"No, I have not," earnestly, and now releasing her hand. "I do not think
we ever really know any one except through personal intercourse; but I
do know who you are, and something of what your life thus far has
been. It was two days after I received your answer before I replied to it.
This time was devoted exclusively to making me somewhat better
acquainted with my correspondent."
"But how could you? I signed no name."
She smiled, again quite at her ease.
"The box number at the Club was amply sufficient. I have friends there;
once possessed of your name and army rank, the department records at
Washington furnished all further information. A Senator kindly
attended to that end, and was also able to supply a little additional
gossip through one of his Southern colleagues. So you perceive,
Captain, I am not altogether reckless. Are you interested in learning
what I know?"
"I am; both from records and gossip. Will you tell me?"
"Willingly," and she checked the points off on her gloved fingers. "You
are Matthew West, the only son of Judge Robert Peel West, of Atlanta,
Georgia. Your mother, who was of the well-known Bullock family,
died when you were about fifteen, and her widowed sister has since
been the house-keeper. You are a graduate of the university of Virginia,
being fourth in your class in Scholarship. Your engineering course was

completed in Massachusetts, and you later became connected with the
Wyant Contracting Company, of Chicago. You were here, however,
only a very brief time, making but few acquaintances, when the War
broke out. You immediately entered the first officers' training school at
Fort Sheridan, graduating with the rank of First Lieutenant, and were
assigned to a regiment of Engineers, among the earliest to sail for
France. While there you were wounded twice, and cited once for
special gallantry in the rescue of a seriously injured private. Your last
wound caused your return to the United States on a special mission,
and also won you the rank of Captain. Since then you have been
honourably discharged, but have made no effort to resume professional
work. You are twenty-six, and unmarried. Is there anything else you
care to know?"
"I think not; really your agency has been most efficient. Could you tell
me also if I have ever been in love?"
"In love! Really I made no