I was as much surprised at this result of Mr. Gryce's scheme as he was, and possibly I was more chagrined¹. But I shall not enter into my feelings on the subject, or weary you any further with my conjectures². You will be much more interested, I know, in learning what occurred to Mr. Gryce upon entering the carriage holding Miss Oliver.  
He had expected, from the intense emotion she displayed at the sight of Howard Van Burnam (for I was not mistaken as to the identity of the person occupying the carriage with her), to find her flushed with the passions incident upon this meeting, and her companion in a condition of mind which would make it no longer possible for him to deny his connection with this woman and his consequently guilty complicity in a murder to which both were linked by so many incriminating circumstances.
 
But for all his experience, the detective was disappointed in this expectation, as he had been in so many others connected with this case. There was nothing in[Pg 342] Miss Oliver's attitude to indicate that she had unburdened herself of any of the emotions with which she was so grievously agitated³, nor was there on Mr. Van Burnam's part any deeper manifestation⁴ of feeling than a slight glow on his cheek, and even that disappeared under the detective's scrutiny⁵, leaving him as composed and imperturbable⁶ as he had been in his memorable⁷ inquisition before the Coroner.
 
Disappointed, and yet in a measure exhilarated by this sudden check in plans he had thought too well laid for failure, Mr. Gryce surveyed the young girl more carefully, and saw that he had not been mistaken in regard to the force or extent of the feelings which had driven her into Mr. Van Burnam's presence; and turning back to that gentleman, was about to give utterance⁸ to some very pertinent⁹ remarks, when he was forestalled¹⁰ by Mr. Van Burnam inquiring, in his old calm way, which nothing seemed able to disturb:
 
"Who is this crazy girl you have forced upon me? If I had known I was to be subjected to such companionship I should not have regarded my outing so favorably."
 
Mr. Gryce, who never allowed himself to be surprised by anything a suspected criminal might do or say, surveyed him quietly for a moment, then turned towards Miss Oliver.
 
"You hear what this gentleman calls you?" said he.
 
Her face was hidden by her hands, but she dropped them as the detective addressed her, showing a countenance¹¹ so distorted by passion that it stopped the current of his thoughts, and made him question whether the epithet¹² bestowed¹³ upon her by their somewhat callous[Pg 343] companion was entirely¹⁴ unjustified. But soon the something else which was in her face restored his confidence in her sanity¹⁵, and he saw that while her reason might be shaken it was not yet dethroned, and that he had good cause to expect sooner or later some action from a woman whose misery

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