"So I've heard," he observed. The bait took effect. She looked up
quickly; he was confident that a startled expression flitted across her
face.
"You have heard? What have you heard of me?" she demanded.
"That you are new at the business," he replied coolly.
"You are a stranger in a strange land, so they say."
"You have been making inquiries?" she asked, disdain succeeding dismay.
"Tentatively, that's all. Ever since you peeked out of the window up
there and laughed at me. I'm curious, you see."
She stared at him in silent intensity for a moment. "That's why I
laughed at you. You were _very_ curious."
"Am I so bad as all that?" he lamented.
She ignored the question. "Why should you be interested in me, sir?"
Mr. King was inspired to fabricate in the interest of psychical
research. "Because I have heard that you are not the niece of old man
Spantz." He watched intently to catch the effect of the declaration.
She merely stared at him; there was not so much as the flutter of an
eyelid. "You have heard nothing of the kind," she said coldly.
"Well, I'll confess I haven't," he admitted cheerfully. "I was
experimenting. I'm an amateur Sherlock Holmes. It pleases me to deduce
that you are not related to the armourer. You don't look the part.
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