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ds he decided that that would not do。 He was not really positive as yet that Aileen was secretly meeting Cowperwood； and； besides； Mrs。 Cowperwood might not know of her husband's duplicity。 He thought also of going to Cowperwood personally and threatening him； but that would be a severe measure； and again； as in the other case； he lacked proof。 He hesitated to appeal to a detective agency； and he did not care to take the other members of the family into his confidence。 He did go out and scan the neighborhood of 931 North Tenth Street once； looking at the house； but that helped him little。 The place was for rent； Cowperwood having already abandoned his connection with it。
Finally he hit upon the plan of having Aileen invited to go somewhere some distance offBoston or New Orleans； where a sister of his wife lived。 It was a delicate matter to engineer； and in such matters he was not exactly the soul of tact； but he undertook it。 He wrote personally to his wife's sister at New Orleans； and asked her if she would； without indicating in any way that she had heard from him； write his wife and ask if she would not permit Aileen to come and visit her； writing Aileen an invitation at the same time； but he tore the letter up。 A little later he learned accidentally that Mrs。 Mollenhauer and her three daughters； Caroline； Felicia； and Alta； were going to Europe early in December to visit Paris； the Riviera； and Rome； and he decided to ask Mollenhauer to persuade his wife to invite Norah and Aileen； or Aileen only； to go along； giving as an excuse that his own wife would not leave him； and that the girls ought to go。 It would be a fine way of disposing of Aileen for the present。 The party was to be gone six months。 Mollenhauer was glad to do so； of course。 The two families were fairly intimate。 Mrs。 Mollenhauer was willing delighted from a politic point of viewand the invitation was extended。 Norah was overjoyed。 She wanted to see something of Europe； and had always been hoping for some such opportunity。 Aileen was pleased from the point of view that Mrs。 Mollenhauer should invite her。 Years before she would have accepted in a flash。 But now she felt that it only came as a puzzling interruption； one more of the minor difficulties that were tending to interrupt her relations with Cowperwood。 She immediately threw cold water on the proposition； which was made one evening at dinner by Mrs。 Butler； who did not know of her husband's share in the matter； but had received a call that afternoon from Mrs。 Mollenhauer； when the invitation had been extended。
〃She's very anxious to have you two come along； if your father don't mind；〃 volunteered the mother； 〃and I should think ye'd have a fine time。 They're going to Paris and the Riveera。〃
〃Oh； fine！〃 exclaimed Norah。 〃I've always wanted to go to Paris。 Haven't you； Ai？ Oh； wouldn't that be fine？〃
〃I don't know that I want to go；〃 replied Aileen。 She did not care to compromise herself by showing any interest at the start。 〃It's coming on winter； and I haven't any clothes。 I'd rather wait and go some other time。〃
〃Oh； Aileen Butler！〃 exclaimed Norah。 〃How you talk！ I've heard you say a dozen times you'd like to go abroad some winter。 Now when the chance comesbesides you can get your clothes made over there。〃
〃Couldn't you get somethin' over there？〃 inquired Mrs。 Butler。 〃Besides； you've got two or three weeks here yet。〃
〃They wouldn't want a man around as a sort of guide and adviser； would they； mother？〃 put in Callum。
〃I might offer my services in that capacity myself；〃 observed Owen； reservedly。
〃I'm sure I don't know；〃 returned Mrs。 Butler； smiling； and at the same time chewing a lusty mouthful。 〃You'll have to ast 'em； my sons。〃
Aileen still persisted。 She did not want to go。 It was too sudden。 It was this。 It was that。 Just then old Butler came in and took his seat at the head of the table。 Knowing all about it； he was most anxious to appear not to。
〃You wouldn't object； Edward； would you？〃 queried his wife； explaining the proposition in general。
〃Object！〃 he echoed； with a well simulated but rough attempt at gayety。 〃A fine thing I'd be doing for meselfobjectin'。 I'd be glad if I could get shut of the whole pack of ye for a time。〃
〃What talk ye have！〃 said his wife。 〃A fine mess you'd make of it livin' alone。〃
〃I'd not be alone； belave me；〃 replied Butler。 〃There's many a place I'd be welcome in this townno thanks to ye。〃
〃And there's many a place ye wouldn't have been if it hadn't been for me。 I'm tellin' ye that；〃 retorted Mrs。 Butler； genially。
〃And that's not stretchin' the troot much； aither；〃 he answered； fondly。
Aileen was adamant。 No amount of argument both on the part of Norah and her mother had any effect whatever。 Butler witnessed the failure of his plan with considerable dissatisfaction； but he was not through。 When he was finally convinced that there was no hope of persuading her to accept the Mollenhauer proposition； he decided； after a while； to employ a detective。
At that time； the reputation of William A。 Pinkerton； of detective fame； and of his agency was great。 The man had come up from poverty through a series of vicissitudes to a high standing in his peculiar and； to many； distasteful profession； but to any one in need of such in themselves calamitous services； his very famous and decidedly patriotic connection with the Civil War and Abraham Lincoln was a recommendation。 He； or rather his service； had guarded the latter all his stormy incumbency at the executive mansion。 There were offices for the management of the company's business in Philadelphia； Washington； and New York； to say nothing of other places。 Butler was familiar with the Philadelphia sign； but did not care to go to the office there。 He decided； once his mind was made up on this score； that he would go over to New York； where he was told the principal offices were。
He made the simple excuse one day of business； which was common enough in his case； and journeyed to New Yorknearly five hours away as the trains ran thenarriving at two o'clock。 At the offices on lower Broadway； he asked to see the manager； whom he found to be a large； gross…featured； heavy…bodied man of fifty； gray…eyed； gray…haired； puffily outlined as to countenance； but keen and shrewd； and with short； fat…fingered hands； which drummed idly on his desk as he talked。 He was dressed in a suit of dark…brown wool cloth； which struck Butler as peculiarly showy； and wore a large horseshoe diamond pin。 The old man himself invariably wore conservative gray。
〃How do you do？〃 said Butler； when a boy ushered him into the presence of this worthy； whose name was MartinsonGilbert Martinson； of American and Irish extraction。 The latter nodded and looked at Butler shrewdly； recognizing him at once as a man of force and probably of position。 He therefore rose and offered him a chair。
〃Sit down；〃 he said； studying the old Irishman from under thick； bushy eyebrows。 〃What can I do for you？〃
〃You're the manager； are you？〃 asked Butler； solemnly； eyeing the man with a shrewd； inquiring eye。
〃Yes； sir；〃 replied Martinson； simply。 〃That's my position here。〃
〃This Mr。 Pinkerton that runs this agencyhe wouldn't be about this place； now； would he？〃 asked Butler； carefully。 〃I'd like to talk to him personally； if I might； meaning no offense to you。〃
〃Mr。 Pinkerton is in Chicago at present；〃 replied Mr。 Martinson。 〃I don't expect him back for a week or ten days。 You can talk to me； though； with the same confidence that you could to him。 I'm the responsible head here。 However； you're the best judge of that。〃
Butler debated with himself in silence for a few moments； estimating the man before him。 〃Are you a family man yourself？〃 he asked； oddly。
〃Yes； sir； I'm married；〃 replied Martinson； solemnly。 〃I have a wife and two children。〃
Martinson； from long experience conceived that this must be a matter of family misconducta son； daughter； wife。 Such cases were not infrequent。
〃I thought I would like to talk to Mr。 Pinkerton himself； but if you're the responsible head〃 Butler paused。
〃I am；〃 replied Martinson。 〃You can talk to me with the same freedom that you could to Mr。 Pinkerton。 Won't you come into my private office？ We can talk more at ease in there。〃
He led the way into an adjoining room which had two windows looking down into Broadway； an oblong table； heavy； brown； smoothly polished； four leather…backed chairs； and some pictures of the Civil War battles in which the North had been victorious。 Butler followed doubtfully。 He hated very much to take any one into his confidence in regard to Aileen。 He was not sure that he would； even now。 He wanted to 〃look these fellys over；〃 as he said in his mind。 He would decide then what he wanted to do。 He went to one of the windows and looked down into the street； where there was a perfect swirl of omnibuses and vehicles of all sorts。 Mr。 Martinson quietly closed the door。
〃Now then； if there's anything I can do for you；〃 Mr。 Martinson paused。 He thought by this little trick to elicit Buder's real nameit often 〃worked〃 but in this instance the name was not forthcoming。 Butler was too shrew