He rarely stands when a caller enters, and of course he didn't then, with the dictionary, the two-thirds of it that was left, on his lap. He dropped sheets on the fire, turned to look at her, and inquired, 'Do you use "infer" and "imply" interchangeably. Miss Blount?' She did fine. She said simply, 'No.' 'This book says you may. Pfui. I prefer not to interrupt this auto-da-fe. You wish to consult me?' 'Yes. About my father. He is in--he has been arrested for murder. Two weeks ago a man died, he was poisoned--' 'If you please. I read newspapers. Why do you come to me?' 'I know my father didn't do it and I want you to prove it.' 'Indeed. Did your father send you?' 'No.' 'Did his attorney, Mr Kalmus?' 'No, nobody sent me. Nobody knows I'm here. I have twenty-two thousand dollars here in my bag.' She patted it, brown leather with straps, on her lap. 'I didn't have that much, but I sold some things. I can get more if I have to. My father and mother mustn't know I'm doing this, and neither must Clan Kalmus.' 'Then it's impossible.' Wolfe tore pages 4 loose and dropped them on the fire. 'Why must they not know?' 'Because they wouldn't let--they'd stop it. I'm sure my father would.' She was gripping the bag. 'Mr Wolfe, I came to you because I had to. I knew I'd have to tell you things I shouldn't tell anybody. This is the first good thing I have ever done. That's the trouble with me, I never do anything bad and I never do anything good, so what's the use? And I'm twenty-two years old, that's why I brought twenty-two thousand dollars.' She patted the bag. 'But I'm doing this. Clan Kalmus has been my father's lawyer for years, and he may be good at business things, but he's no good for this. I know he isn't; I've known him all my life. Last week I told him he should get you, get you to help, and he smiled at me and said no, he didn't like the way you work. He says he knows what he's doing and it will be all right, but it won't. I'm afraid; I'm scared clear through.' She leaned forward.