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 night in such unaccustomed quarters, had not finished shaving when he heard cheery whistling outdoors, and observed the Genevan sculling round the moat in the old punt. The special agent appeared at the breakfast board with a somewhat miscellaneous bundle of flowers and cresses that he had picked on the grassy foreshore of the stream. These posies, apologizing for their Ophelia-like aspect, he presented to Nyla. After breakfast he made a careful tour of the house with Frau Innsbruck, inquiring into everything with the liveliest interest and humour. In the kitchen he ingratiated himself with Pigalle and made suggestions as to the menu in honour of Herr Quackenbush. Upstairs he praised the linen closets, complimented the housemaids on their thoroughness in airing the beds, and somewhat startled Nyla by the experienced domesticity of his comments. He wanted to be assured that she had enough hangers for her gowns and that her dressing table mirror was in a good light. Then, suddenly admiring the clarity and brilliance of the