A large opal ring graced her left middle finger, and turquoises of vivid blue were pendent from her ears.  She wore yellow silk slippers with bronze buckles; and altogether her appearance was not out of keeping with the character of the reception-room itself, which was a composite of gold-flowered wall-paper, blue and cream-colored Brussels carpet, heavily gold-framed engravings of reclining nudes, and a gilt-framed pier-glass, which rose from the floor to the ceiling.  Needless to say, Butler was shocked to the soul of him by this suggestive atmosphere which was supposed to include his daughter in its destructive reaches.

Alderson motioned one of his detectives to get behind the woman—­between her and the door—­which he did.

“Sorry to trouble you, Mrs. Davis,” he said, “but we are looking for a couple who are in your house here.  We’re after a runaway girl.  We don’t want to make any disturbance—­merely to get her and take her away.”  Mrs. Davis paled and opened her mouth.  “Now don’t make any noise or try to scream, or we’ll have to stop you.  My men are all around the house.  Nobody can get out.  Do you know anybody by the name of Cowperwood?”

Mrs. Davis, fortunately from one point of view, was not of a particularly nervous nor yet contentious type.  She was more or less philosophic.  She was not in touch with the police here in Philadelphia, hence subject to exposure.  What good would it do to cry out? she thought.  The place was surrounded.  There was no one in the house at the time to save Cowperwood and Aileen.  She did not know Cowperwood by his name, nor Aileen by hers.  They were a Mr. and Mrs. Montague to her.

“I don’t know anybody by that name,” she replied nervously.

“Isn’t there a girl here with red hair?” asked one of Alderson’s assistants.  “And a man with a gray suit and a light-brown mustache?  They came in here half an hour ago.  You remember them, don’t you?”

“There’s just one couple in the house, but I’m not sure whether they’re the ones you want.  I’ll ask them to come down if you wish.  Oh, I wish you wouldn’t make any disturbance.  This is terrible.”

“We’ll not make any disturbance,” replied Alderson, “if you don’t.  Just you be quiet.  We merely want to see the girl and take her away.  Now, you stay where you are.  What room are they in?”

“In the second one in the rear up-stairs.  Won’t you let me go, though?  It will be so much better.  I’ll just tap and ask them to come out.”

“No.  We’ll tend to that.  You stay where you are.  You’re not going to get into any trouble.  You just stay where you are,” insisted Alderson.

He motioned to Butler, who, however, now that he had embarked on his grim task, was thinking that he had made a mistake.  What good would it do him to force his way in and make her come out, unless he intended to kill Cowperwood?  If she were made to come down here, that would be enough.  She would then know that he knew all.  He did not care to quarrel with Cowperwood, in any public way, he now decided.  He was afraid to.  He was afraid of himself.