AGAINST ODDS

 A Detective Story

 BY

 LAWRENCE L. LYNCH (E. MURDOCH VAN DEVENTER), AUTHOR OF

 'SHADOWED BY THREE, ' 'A SLENDER CLUE, ' 'A DEAD MAN'S STEP, ' 'MOINA, ' ETC. 

 _COPYRIGHT. _

 LONDON:

 WARD, LOCK & BOWDEN, LIMITED, WARWICK HOUSE, SALISBURY SQUARE, E. C. 

 NEW YORK AND MELBOURNE. 

 1894. 

 * * * * *

CONTENTS. 

 CHAPTER PAGE

 I. 'CHICARGO GITS MY MONEY' 1

 II. 'I TOLD MY TALE OF WOE' 12

 III. A CONUNDRUM 25

 IV. 'I CAN'T MAKE MYSELF LIKE HIM' 35

 V. 'IT'S ALL A MIRACLE' 44

 VI. 'A CRIMINAL HUNT' 54

 VII. 'IT WAS GREENBACK BOB' 63

 VIII. 'STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER' 75

 IX. IN DISGUISE 82

 X. CARL MASTERS 92

 XI. 'I DISLIKE A MYSTERY' 101

 XII. 'MORE DANGEROUS THAN HATE' 111

 XIII. FACE TO FACE WITH DELBRAS 122

 XIV. MISSING--CARTE BLANCHE 131

 XV. THE KING OF CONFIDENCE MEN 142

 XVI. THAT LITTLE DECOY 150

 XVII. 'THOSE TWO WOMEN' 155

 XVIII. 'IF YOU'LL FIND ONE, I'LL FIND THE OTHER' 166

 XIX. 'STRANGE! MISTAKEN! HEARTLESS!' 172

 XX. 'WE MUST UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER' 178

 XXI. 'LET ME LAUGH!' 191

 XXII. 'THERE IS DANGER--NEAR!' 202

 XXIII. 'YOU ARE SUFFERING IN MY STEAD' 215

 XXIV. 'IT IS OUR FIRST CLUE' 222

 XXV. 'IT'S A SNARE' 228

 XXVI. A COLUMBIAN GUARD 234

 XXVII. 'I'D SWEAR TO THEM HANDS ANYWHERE' 238

 XXVIII. 'NOW DOWN!' 249

 XXIX. 'FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!' 257

 XXX. 'IT SHALL NOT BE ALL SUSPENSE' 263

 XXXI. SIR CARROLL RAE 267

 XXXII. FOUND DEAD 272

 XXXIII. 'A MERCYFUL DISPENSAYSHUN' 281

 XXXIV. 'EUREKA!' 293

 XXXV. AFTER ALL 302

 * * * * *

AGAINST ODDS:

_A DETECTIVE STORY OF THE WORLD'S FAIR_

CHAPTER I. 

'CHICARGO GITS MY MONEY. '

'Eureka!'

It was I, Carl Masters, of the secret service, so called, who utteredthis exclamation, although not a person of the exclamatory school; andsmall wonder, for I was standing beneath the dome of theAdministration Building, and I had but that hour arrived at theWorld's Fair. 

I was not there as a sight-seer, not on pleasure bent, and even thosefirst moments of arrival, I knew well, were not to be wasted. 

I had come hither straight from the Terminal Station, seeking thisstately keystone to the great Fair, not to steep my senses and fill myeyes with beauty in myriad forms, but to seek out the great man whosemasterful hand was to create for me the passport which was to be my'open sesame' to all within this fair White City's walls; but when Istood beneath that lofty double dome and looked about me, I forgot allbut the beauty all around, and gazed upon the noble rotunda throughthe western entrance, where 'Earth, ' majestic but untamed, amasterpiece of giant statuary, guards one massive pillar; and the same'Earth, ' yet not the same, conquered yet conquering, adds her beautyto the strength of the column opposite--to the east, where Neptunesports, classic as of old, around about the octagonal interior withits splendid arches, its frescoes and gilding, its medallions andplates of bronze, wherein gleamed, golden and fair, the names of theworld's greatest countries at its gilded panels, supported by wingedfigures, and bearing engraven upon each shining surface the record ofsome great event. Its medallions and graceful groups, allegorical orsymbolic, all mounting high, and higher, until illuminated by theopal-like circle of light at the summit, Dodge's great picture crownsthe whole, with its circling procession of arts and sciences, gods andmuses, nymphs and graces, and Apollos radiant in the midst. 

Small wonder that, forgetting all but the scene before me, my lipsshot out the single word 'Eureka!' and smaller wonder that, havingvented my admiration in sound, I became aware of the fact at once, andremembered not only who I was, but what I was, and why I was there. 

It was scarcely ten a. M. , but there were people all about me, and myexclamation caused more than one eye, inquiring, amused, cynical, orsimply stupid, to turn toward me where I stood, near the centre of thegreat rotunda. 

'Big thing, ain't it?'

I turned my head, a little rattled at the notice I had thus broughtupon myself, and saw standing close beside me a man whose garb, noless than his nasal utterance, proclaimed him a Yankee, and a son ofthe soil. I had seen him upon my entrance, standing beneath the dome, with his head thrown back at a painful angle in an effort to read oneof the brazen plates above him, one hand tightly grasping ahalf-inflated umbrella--long past its palmy days--and the otherfiercely gripped about the handle of a shawl-strap drawn tight arounda handleless basket, by no means small, and bristling at the top withknobby protuberances which told but too plainly of the luncheon underthe pictorial newspaper tied down with abundant lashings of blue'Shaker' yarn. 

'Big thing, indeed!' Evidently my burst of enthusiasm had brought uponme this overture, no doubt meant to pave the way to furtherconversation; and I answered, after a single quick glance at myneighbour, as blandly as Ah Sin himself. 

'Yes, sir, ' resumed the man, with a brisk nod, 'it's a big thing! When'twas first talked up I was a good deal sot on havin' it in Noo YorkState. I'd been there, ye see, twenty years ago on my weddin' trip; Iwas livin' in Pennsylvany then. But, Lor! Noo York couldn't 'a' donethis here! No, sir, she couldn't. Chicargo gits my money--not thatI've got much on it, ' with a nervous start and a shrugging movement asif he were trying to draw in his pockets and obliterate all traces ofthem. 'I don't never believe in carryin' money to sech places. ' Then, as if anxious to get away from a dangerous subject, he asked, 'Beenhere long, stranger?'

'About half an hour. '

'M--um! I've done better than that; been here two hull hours. Come inon one of them Village Grove cable cars, and come plum throughMiddleway Pleasants. M--um! but they're some, them furren fellers;only it seems to me they ain't no need of so many of them niggers ofall shades, dressed up like Callathumpians on Fourth of July, andstandin' round in everybody's way. '

I was not there to impart information, and I let the honest soulbabble on. He had brawny shoulders and an ingenuous face, but I feltsure he had brought with him more money than was wise or needful, andthat he would come to grief if he continued to deny the possession ofmoney, with his tell-tale face flatly contradicting his words. 

But I was now recalled to myself and my own affairs; and dropping afew politely meaningless words, I left my first acquaintance and mademy way toward the pavilion at the corner, where I had been told Ishould find the 'man in authority' whom I sought. 

Putting my question to a guard in the ante-room, I was told that theman in authority was absent--would be absent two hours, perhaps; and, not much loth to pass a little time in that splendid rotunda, stoodgazing about the beautiful Court of Honour, with its fountains, statues, glittering and fair façades, rippling lagoons, and snowy andsuperb peristyle, statue-crowned and gleaming, with blue LakeMichigan, sun-kissed and breeze-tossed, stretching away to the horizonin pulsating perspective. 

Fairer than any dream it looked that fair May day, with Justice, golden and glorious, rising from out the waves, splendid as a sungoddess, and dominating all the rest. 

As I turned away, having looked and looked again, I saw my first WhiteCity acquaintance seated upon a settle in the shadow of one of themammoth arches, his basket between his knees and his umbrella betweenhis two clasped hands. He was talking just as amiably and frankly asbefore, and this time he had for audience a dapper man with a thinface that might have been old or young, and which I disliked at sight. He was exceedingly well dressed; he looked very respectable, but healso looked smug and sophisticated--too sophisticated, I thought, tobe really so well entertained as he seemed to be with my rusticfriend's confidences. 

For a few moments I watched the two, to the exclusion of the goldenJustice, the peristyle, everything; and then, the settle being long, and the two being its sole occupants, I moved around, going in and outunobserved among the crowd, and seated myself upon the end of thebench, unseen by my friend, who sat with his broad shoulders and backsquarely toward me, and affording an ample screen between myself andhis companion. 

I have wondered since just what actuated me to do what I did; but Ionly recall now a vague remembrance of a small black book, seen inmemory as in a vision, and a fluttering page which seemed to blazonforth the question, 'Am I my brother's keeper?' The book?--it wasburied in dead hands long ago; and the words?--they had not beenprinted in the book more indelibly than upon my memory. 

Why should the sight of this homely, honest rustic bring back thesethings? I did not know; but I seated myself in the shelter of hisbroad back, and affected to be absorbed in a notebook and the bronzedplates upon the walls about me, keeping meanwhile, with one ear, sufficiently close note upon their conversation, and letting my mindwander. 

What a strange scene! Out upon the lagoon swift electric launchesswept by, and gondolas, slower, but graceful and picturesque, glidedto and fro, their lithe boatmen swaying to the sweep of the singleoar. 

Why did the sharp-eyed little woman opposite, on the bench in theshadow of the goddess of Air, eye me so keenly and so long, dividingher attention, in fact, between myself and a young mother with twotired children, scarce more than infants both?

Yonder went two Turks, bearing between them, swaying betwixt two longpoles, a genuine Turkish palanquin, and crying, 'Hi! hi!' to those whoobstructed their direct line of march. 

Where was the man of authority? I looked at my watch, and my thoughtscame back to myself and my own affairs. 

'An hour and a half to wait! I wonder if Brainerd is on the ground, and what he will say of our joint undertaking when we meet; for youcan by no means establish a precedent by which to judge of Brainerd'sthoughts and deeds to come. How will our work prosper? Shall we findit easy? and shall we succeed?'

For Dave Brainerd and I, both professional detectives, 'man-hunters, 'if you will, were sent to this White City on a twofold mission. 

It was not our first work together, and at first we did not enter intoit with enthusiasm. 

'Masters, Brainerd, ' our chief said to us one morning, 'they are goingto want a lot of good men at that World's Fair; I think I'd better putyou both on the list. ' And this was all that was said then, but whenwe were out of his presence Dave exploded. 

'Wants to send us to watch little boys, look after ladies' kerchiefs, and hunt up lost babies, does he?' he began, in a fume. 'It's notmeself that'll do it; d'ye hear, Masters? I'll go like the biggestgentleman of all, or like the sleuth I am, but no child-rescuing andkid-copping for me! Let his honour give us, ' with a theatricalgesture, 'a foeman worthy of our steel. '

Nothing came of this whimsical tirade, and a week had passed beforethe chief spoke again upon the subject. Then we were both called intohis private office, and he said:

'Boys, we have just found out to a certainty that Greenback Bob andhis pals are going to operate at the World's Fair. I've alreadypromised them more good men than I like to spare, but we can't let Boband his crowd slip. I did not really mean to send you, either of you, with the others; but this is something worth while. '

'I should say!' broke in Dave, who was no respecter of persons, unlessperhaps it might have been of Dave Brainerd. 'Do you mean to tell us, Cap, that the dandy Frenchman is in it?'

'He is very much in it. He crossed from Calais on the last boat in hothaste, and I'm much mistaken if the whole gang is not already on itsway to the White City, though he only reached this side the nightbefore last; and there's another party who may give us some trouble. We don't know him, but he is said to be an all-round bad one, justcome over from Calais with this Delbras. I wish I could give you evena description of him. '

Greenback Bob was a counterfeiter, or so it was believed, for he wasso bold, so shrewd, and so generally successful, that no one as yethad been able to entangle him in the meshes of the law; though samplesof what was believed to be his handiwork had been passed from hand tohand, and travelled far before they had been challenged, and theirjourneys summarily ended in the cabinet of our chief. Bob was known asa gambler, too, and more than once had he been watched and shadowedbecause of some ill deed connected with his name; we had seen hisface, and his picture adorned the rogues' gallery. Delbras, however, was likely to give us some trouble; we had seen him, it is true, butit was only a fleeting glimpse, with the possibility that he was atthe moment cleverly disguised. 

Of Delbras we knew, first, that he was and had been for years theoccasional partner or confederate of the counterfeiter, and presumablya counterfeiter also; next, that he was set down in the records of theLondon police as 'dangerous'; and last, that he had crossed the ocean, leaving Paris, which had grown 'too hot to hold him, ' and was avowedly_en route_ for the World's Fair, it was thought upon mischief intent. 

This last item came to our chief direct from the French police, together with the information that two or three diamond robberieswhich had occurred in the French capital during the previous winterwere laid at his door, although it had been thus far impossible tobring the thefts home to him. 

Concerning Greenback Bob--the fellow was known to us by no othername--we felt quite sanguine; we had seen him, we had his photographand his full description according to the Bertillon system, and, onceseen, he would hardly be lost to sight again, or so we flatteredourselves. Delbras we must identify through Bob, or as we best could;and the third member of the 'gang'--well, a great deal must be left tochance, as usual. 

This much we knew of Delbras: he was 'handsome, educated, familiarwith the ways of good society, and not an easy bird to catch. ' Thisfrom the French police _commissaire_. 

'A pinchbeck gentleman, eh!' had been Dave Brainerd's scornful commentupon hearing this. 'The worst set to deal with; I'd rather tackle astraight out-and-outer any day. '

Recalling this speech of Dave's brought my thoughts back to the oldquestion, 'Where was he?' And then the dialogue at my elbow aroused myflagging attention, and brought it back to my rustic acquaintance andthe smug personage at his side. 

'Wal, now, I hadn't thought of that, but now't you mention it, 'twas agood idee; and they wouldn't change it to the eatin'-house?'

'Not there. ' The smug man's tones were low and cautious. 'Pardon me, but--don't speak too loud, my friend--the mere mention of money islikely to attract some sharper to you. No, they refused me there. Yousee, I anticipated some difficulty inside the gates, so I had triedjust before entering; but the man at the desk refused, and verycurtly, too. I wanted to enter at once in order to meet half a dozenyoung men from my town who are sort of under my care. '

'Orphans?'

'Not quite. They belong to my Bible class, you see, ' Mr. Smugexplained modestly; 'and I had promised to be at the Terminal Stationin case they arrived by the early train. '

'Whar from, d'ye say?' with awakening interest. 'I'm a Sunday-schoolteacher myself, when I'm to hum. '

'Indeed! It's a very interesting and useful work--labouring for souls. Ah, they come from Marshall, in Iowa. '

'Don't say! Why, I----'

'But they did not arrive; their train had been delayed. But, as I wasabout to tell you, if I had not chanced to have in my possession aroll of bills, put in my care by the father of one of the youngerlads, I might have been kept outside for some time longer. '

'How's that?'

I had been a little puzzled at this dialogue, and was losing myinterest somewhat when it reached this point, and I pricked up my earsanew, while I continued to copy inscriptions and jot down memoranda. 

'It seems almost like confessing to a breach of trust; but thereseemed no other way, and so, stepping to one side, I took out thepackage of money belonging to my young friend. I had counted it in hisfather's presence, and knew that it contained on the very outside ofthe roll a two dollar bill. I took this and procured my ticket. Ofcourse I shall explain to him and replace it at once. '

'In course! but--you was a-saying----'

'I began to tell you how I learned where to go to get money changed. Ihad entered, you must know, at the Cottage Grove gate opening uponMidway, and walking toward the east I soon met a guard. ' He had drawna cigar from his pocket while speaking, and he now turned toward me. Ihad lighted a weed upon seating myself near them, and as he uttered apolite 'Pardon me, sir, ' I smoked calmly on, while I copied upon afresh page of my notebook the legend, 'Jenner discovered the principleof vaccination in 1796, ' putting an elaborate final flourish afterthe date. 

'Sir! Your pardon; may I trouble you for a light?' A light touch ofhis hand accompanied the words, and I turned slowly, favoured him witha look of as well-managed stupidity and inquiry as I could muster, drew from my pocket a little ear-tube, and, adjusting it to my rightear, said, 'Hey?'

Again the fellow made known his want, and then, apparently convincedthat I had not been a listener, he resumed, somewhat hurriedly, Ithought:

'As I was saying, I met a guard and asked him where to go to get abill exchanged; he mentioned one or two places a long way off, andthen, happening to think of the arrangement made for the accommodationof foreigners, he courteously directed me to one of the agents quitenear at hand. ' He allowed a big puff of smoke to escape his lips veryslowly, and added, as if it were the final word, 'Those agencies forhome and foreign exchange are a great convenience to travellers. '

'What air they?' demanded my rustic. 'Never heerd on 'em. '

'Really! Why, the administration has arranged a system of agencieswhich are supplied with a certain sum in small bank-notes, greenbacks, which they are authorized to exchange for foreign currency; and, forthe convenience of Midway Plaisance, one of these agents isestablished in Midway, near the Turkish Village. One may know him by asmall blue badge with a silver stamp in the form of a half-dollarsouvenir upon his coat. '

'Oh!'

'He proved very affable--the guard assured me I would find him so; andas the other agencies were so far away, I took advantage of his goodnature, and instead of exchanging ten dollars, I got him to put ahundred-dollar bill into fifty crisp new two-dollar bills, fresh, likeall this exchange money from the Government treasury--a part, infact, of that great output of two-dollar greenbacks issued by theGovernment at the same time as the souvenir coins, as you no doubtremember. '

No, the rustic did not remember, but neither did he doubt. He was fullof exclamations of wonder and admiration at the workings of sowonderful and generous a Government; and then came the climax. WouldMr. Smug direct him to this affable agent upon Midway? etc. 

'As I was saying at first, I don't lug much money around with me tosech places as this here, but what little I've got ain't quite dividedup enough to be handy; I don't mind gettin' a fifty into newGover'ment greenbacks myself. My wife 'n' me are countin' on stayin'on here a consid'able of a spell, maybe, an' small change ishandiest. '

'It's positively necessary, ' declared Smug, getting up quickly. 'I'llshow you the place, and the man; and then I must be looking for myyoung men again. '

I had not looked for this conclusion, but as the rustic arose I closedmy notebook and made ready to follow them. I was all agog to see thisamiable dealer in brand-new Government notes. 

As the countryman turned toward his guide, the small sharp-facedwoman, who had eyed us so long and often from her bench almostopposite, arose with a movement suggestive of steel springs, and madeher way toward us, waving her umbrella to attract attention. I movedrapidly aside, in anticipation of the sweeping gesture of arm andumbrella, which dislodged a tall man's hat and sent it rolling to thefeet of a frisky maiden, from whence it was rescued by Smug, whorestored it, with a placating word, and so averted an unpleasantness. Meanwhile the woman had reached her husband's side, and a few quickwords had passed between the two. Then a gesture, and another word ortwo, evidently meant for an introduction, brought the smug strangerto her notice, and the three turned their faces toward the Plaisance;but not until I had heard her say to her better-half as she clung tohis arm, while Smug opened a way ahead, 'I tell you he's a confidenceman, and I know it. I've been a-watchin' him!'

Following the three at a little distance, and discreetly, I smiled atthe woman's rustic cleverness; and never did man smile moremistakenly. 

CHAPTER II. 

'I TOLD MY TALE OF WOE. '

I followed the trio as they went rapidly past the Terminal Station, and halted, laughing inwardly, while Mr. Smug, as I had mentally namedthe man whose game I was watching so intently, stood fidgeting beforethe great golden door of the Transportation Building waiting for thesharp-eyed woman to exhaust her ecstasies, and for her more stolidhusband to close his wide-opened mouth and remember his errand toMidway Plaisance. 

As for myself, I could have gazed at this marvel of doorways and haveforgotten all else; and I was not sorry that the small farmeress had awill of her own, and that this will elected to stay. 

Oh, that superb eastern façade! Never before has its like been seen. Never in such a setting and in such gigantic proportions will we seeit again. 

But we left it at last and made a slow and halting progress pastHorticultural Hall on one side and the sunlit lagoon on the other; andhere, overcome by the grandeur of it all, the woman of the party satdown, with her face toward the water. 

''Tain't no kind of use, pa!' she declared loudly. 'I'm goin' to setdown by the lake for a minit; I guess there'll be some two-dollarbills left in Midway yet when we get there. I've heard tell of themlovely laggoonses till I'm achin' to see one; and I'm jest goin' toset right here till one goes by. Land! just see them stone anymals, and all them old-fashioned stone figgers of folks! 'Pears to me they'speople enough alive and frisky, 'thout stickin' all them stone menaround so dretful lib'ral; though they look well 'nough, fur's Iknow. ' She cast her eyes all about her, and then beckoned to Smug, standing uneasily in the rear: 'Say, can't you show me one singlelaggoon?'

Smug came nearer, and waved his hand comprehensively toward theshining waters below them, and southward where a red-sailed Chinesejunk lay at anchor opposite the Transportation Building. 

'That is a lagoon, madam, ' he said, affably but low. 

'Umph! It's no better-lookin' than our old mud scow! Come on, father. 'And they resumed their line of march, but not until in turning to takea last look at the belittled 'laggoon' her snapping small eyesencountered mine frowningly, and I said to myself, 'She saw me in therotunda; can she suspect that I am following them?'

Contrary to my expectation, she did not call a halt upon enteringMidway, but went straight on, still clutching her spouse by the arm, while the smug one walked sedately at her farther side; she passed thedivers' exhibit, the beauty congress, the glass displays, and pacedsteadily on, her eyes riveted upon a palanquin borne by two waddlingTurks; and when this ancient conveyance had paused before the TurkishBazaar, then, and only then, did she pause or take further heed. 

As the bearers gently lowered the chair, and stood beside it at ease, she snatched her hand from her husband's arm, and hurrying towardsthe front, peered within the curtained box. 

'Land of gracious!' she ejaculated, 'and I s'posed they was carryingone of them harums, no less, in the outlandish thing!' Then, stoopingto read with near-sighted eyes the legend, 'One hour 75 cents, one-half hour 50 cents, ten minutes 15 cents, ' she turned again to herbetter-half: 'Come, pa, let's get that change right quick; I'm goin'to ride in that thing if I drop out through the bottom. '

There was a crowd in the Turkish Bazaar, but our smug friend led theway to an angle of the building where the hawkers were unusually busy, and I drew near enough to see that he was now looking covertly allabout him, and for a little seemed at a loss. 

'Kum-all-ong! Kume-mol-o-ng! Ku-m-m-m!'

The shrill long-drawn-out cry caused him to turn suddenly, and toelbow his way, with his prey at his heels, toward a small railed-inspace, wherein, seated on a Turkish ottoman, a little higher than thegenuine, was a swarthy man with beetling brows, big rolling blackeyes, and a fierce moustache bristling underneath a hooked nose. Hewore a red fez, much askew, and his American trousers and waistcoatwere enlivened by a tennis-sash of orange and red and a smoking-coatfaced with vivid green. He was smoking a decorated Turkishpipe--'Toor-kaish, ' he called it--and a low table and sundry decoratedboxes and packages were his sole stock-in-trade. 

'Kum-all-ong! he reiterated. 'Kum-e see-e me-e-e smoke! Easy--so--nonoise; so! Soo-vy-nee-yra; Toor-kaish soo-vy-nee-yr matches!' At everypause a 'soo-vy-nee-yr match' was struck, deftly and without noise, and a big puff of smoke was sent circling above his head. 

'Bah!' exclaimed Mrs. Rustic, turning away, 'if you've brought me herejust to see a Turkey man smoke a big pipe, Adam Camp, you may jesttake me home ag'in. '

A shout of laughter followed this sally, and as she turned away Ifancied that I saw a quick look exchanged between the man of the pipeand our smug guide. Whether this were true or not, I observed thatSmug no longer seemed eager to hasten them onward, and I saw anotherthing--the woman, in turning from the man of the souvenir matches, hadonce more fixed her eye, through a sudden opening in the crowd, uponmyself; and immediately after she had whispered something in the earof her spouse, which something he soon after repeated, or so Ifancied, to his kind friend Smug. 

I had followed them, trusting to the crowd and my skill as an 'artfuldodger, ' up to this moment quite closely; but I now fell back, andwithdrew myself a little distance from the aisle where all three werenow loitering, the woman examining with wondering eyes marvellousTurkish slippers with turned-up toes, and olive-wood beads andbracelets, proffered by fierce Mohammedans in baggy trousers andtasselled fez, or by swarthy, oily-skinned girls with bushy hair andgarments of Oriental colouring, or in tailor-made gowns, and with theubiquitous fez as a badge of their office--or servitude; rugs anddraperies, attar of roses in gilded vials, souvenir spoons, filigreein gilt and silver, toys of unknown form and name, cloying Turkishsweets, foreign stamps, coins, relics, all came under herunsophisticated eyes, while her spouse gazed upon Moorish daggers, swords of strange workmanship, saddles and stirrups of singular form, and much strange gear and gay trappings, the use of which he couldnever have guessed but for the learned explanations of his nowcarelessly amiable guide. 

They had gazed so long that I had begun to grow impatient and towonder how this tame chase would end, when the trio drew up at a pointwhere the long arcade turns sharply to right and left, and where atone of the intersections a vendor of singularly-carved canes andsticks was mounted upon a stool draped with Oriental rugs, and sohigh and slender that one looked to see the occupant topple and fallfrom moment to moment. He was a brown-faced fellow of small statureand as lithe as an Indian, and he was juggling recklessly with a pairof grotesque carven sticks, crying the while:

'He-ur you-ur ur! He-ur you-ur-ur! Soo-vy-neer! Soo-vy-neer! Gen-oo-ineTeer-keesh--gen-oo-ine! Come-mon! come-mon! Teerkeesh--gen-oo-ine; onlytree doll-yeer!'

A smart young man, breathing of opulence in air and attire, camebriskly forward and held up his hand to receive both sticks, with aharlequin bow from the dark-eyed Oriental, who wore a spruce blackbroadcloth suit, in honour of America, and a red fez, in loyalty, doubtless, to the land of the Sultan; and then my interest becamesuddenly and widely awake. 

The youth chose between the two canes, and handed up in payment a wornfive-dollar bill, and after a feint at searching for the correctamount the man of the fez bent down and placed in his hand a crisp newtwo-dollar banknote; at the same moment, almost, friend Smug touchedthe arm of Farmer Camp, and I saw the two turn their heads toward thesouthern wing. I had made my way so near them that I could hear thewords of the farmer, who evidently had no subdued tones, and after along look toward the south entrance I heard him say:

'That him? Why, he looks like one of these fellers!'

And then I saw his guide's lips moving, and caught the final words, 'an educated Oriental. ' In another moment he had moved hurriedlyforward and put out his hand to stop the man who, with head veryerect, and crowned with a black and gold embroidered fez, was comingtoward him, but with eyes levelled upon the active young man upon thelofty stool. He wore a severe suit of black, relieved upon the breastof the close-buttoned Prince Albert coat by a blue satin badge, bearing upon its upper half a silver-gilt souvenir half-dollar, andupon the lower portion a tiny fac-simile of a Government banknote. 

He paused as the smug young man addressed him, and looked into hisface, at first with indifference, almost amounting to annoyance, thenwith growing recognition, and finally with a bland and condescendingsmile. He wore a long and flowing beard, and the black cloth fez, unlike the red one, was not rakishly set on; but I recognised him atonce. 

It was the man with the 'soo-vy-neer matches, ' quickly and deftlymetamorphosed to escape the unobservant or untrained eye, but thesame, notwithstanding. And now my interest grew apace. I knew that atlast we were in the presence of that powerful official who dispensedvirgin two-dollar notes to the unwitting foreigner or native; and AdamCamp was about to be mulcted. 

I had formed no plan of action. I had been interested, first, in thewelfare of Adam Camp, and then the mention of these new Governmenttwo-dollar bills had aroused in me the desire, stronger for the momentthan any other, to see this 'agent' whose duty it was to make easy thepath of the stranger and alien in our midst. 

And now our smug friend demonstrated his ability to do quick work whenoccasion required. 

Throwing caution to the winds, I drew close behind the woman, andheard the introduction of Camp and the case stated briefly. 

Smug had ventured to bring this chance acquaintance, etc. , who desireda like favour to that conferred upon himself not long since. Mr. Campdesired to exchange a banknote, say ten or twenty dollars, perhaps, for smaller bills, for convenience at the Fair, etc. 

The man of the badge looked closely at Farmer Camp, who was bowinglike a mandarin, and then back at his spouse. 

'You can vouch for this person?' he asked with a touch of severity, and in excellent English. 

'Pardon me; we are mere passing acquaintances, but I should think----'

He of the badge drew himself up with a stately gesture. 

'We are not permitted to judge for ourselves, ' he said; 'ourGovernment require some sort of voucher, as, for instance, a bankcertificate, cheque-book, even a receipt or letter. '

Before Farmer Camp could pull himself together and reply, his wifeinterfered, taking a swift step forward. 

'If you want dockyments, mister, ' she said tartly, 'I guess I kinsupply 'em. I've brought our weddin' stiffykit, and our letters fromthe church to Neeponsit, and our fire insurance papers. ' She laid asuggestive satin-gloved hand upon her bosom and tossed her head. 'Ididn't count on nobody's takin' us to be anybody else when I brung'em, but I didn't want 'em lost, case of fire or anything. '

The 'agent' put up a remonstrant hand, and Camp hastened to produce aletter from his brother in Nebraska, which was gracefully accepted;and so overpowered was Camp at so much condescension that he opened aplump wallet--carried in a breast pocket high up, and evidently ofhome manufacture--and drew from it, after some deliberation and awhispered word with his wife, a one hundred dollar bill. 

'I guess we might jest as well break that. ' He was extending the bill, and the hand of the now eager agent was outstretched to grasp it, whenI stepped quickly to his side. 

'Pardon me, sir, ' I said, with my best air. 'Could you tell me wherethe bank is located? I am told that there is one on the grounds. ' Thefour pairs of eyes were full upon me, and I knew that by three ofthem I was recognised. 'I am anxious to get some money changed, ' Iwent on glibly, but with a meaning glance at the 'agent, ' 'to buy somesouvenir matches down here, and I'm told there's counterfeit moneycirculating here. '

I was playing a bluff game, and I knew it, for as yet I had notsecured my credentials; but when I saw the swart face of the shamagent change to a sickly yellow, and Smug begin to draw back and lookanxiously from left to right, I was inwardly triumphant; but, alack!it is only in fiction that the clever detective always has the best ofit, and at this moment there came an unexpected diversion. 

Camp still stood with the bill in his hand, open-mouthed and evidentlypuzzled; and now his wife, who had drawn closer and was peering intomy face, turned upon him quickly. 

'Adam Camp, put up that money!' she cried. 'I know this feller; I seenhim talkin' to you back there by the Administration Buildin'; and he'sbeen watchin' and follerin' us ever sence. I know him! In anotherminute he would 'a' grabbed your money and run for it. '

There was a sudden movement, a shifting of positions, a mingling ofexclamations and accusations, with the woman's tongue still waggingshrilly, and heard through all. People crowded about us and a brace ofColumbian guards came hurrying up. 

'What is it?'

'Anyone been robbed?'

Instantly the hands of Smug and his confederate began to slap and diginto their pockets, while the woman answered eagerly:

'All on us, like enough! He's a pickpocket or a confidence man. I seenhim follerin' us. I've kep' an eye on him. ' And then came a cry fromSmug. 

'My wallet!'

He turned upon me, calling wildly to the guards, 'Search him!'

Into my nearest pocket went a gloved hand, and when it came out, there, sure enough, was a brown leather wallet. 

'Here it is!' cried one. 

'Lord-a-massy!'

'I told you so!'

'Run him in!'

I was the centre of a small bedlam, and I shut my lips tightly andinwardly cursed my interest in all rustics, and particularly theCamps. I was fairly trapped. I saw my position, and held my peace, while the two rascals told their tale, making sure by their volubilitythat the Camps did not tell theirs. Only as the two guards, one oneither side, turned to lead me away, I said to Smug, 'We shall meetagain, my fine decoy;' and to the sham agent as I passed him, 'Betterstick to your matches, my friend. '

Inwardly chafing, I marched through the crowd between my two captors, bringing them to a momentary halt as we came abreast of the placewhere the souvenir matches were hawked, and seeing there, as I hadanticipated, a new face beneath the red fez. 

Then I spoke to my captors:

'Men, you have made a mistake for which I can't blame you. Take mebefore your chief at once, and I will not only prove this, but make itworth your while to be civil. '

For answer the two merely exchanged glances, and hurried me on, and, convinced of the uselessness of further remonstrance until I hadreached someone in authority, I strode on silently. 

At the entrance to the great animal show there was a dense crowd, andfor a moment we were brought to a halt. Standing upon the edge of themass of bobbing bonnets and heaving shoulders, I could see in themidst of the throng two Turkish-fezzed heads wildly dodging andstruggling toward us, and a moment later a full bass voice calledimpatiently:

'Go ahead! Get out of this, can't you?'

I started at the sound of the big, impatient voice, and stood with myeyes riveted upon the spot from whence it seemed to come. A momentlater the two red heads had emerged from the crowd, and with them asedan-chair, which, evidently, they found no easy load. As theyshuffled past me I started again, so violently that my two captorscaught at me with restraining hands. 

At the same instant there was a quick exclamation from the swingingchair and a peremptory order to halt. 

'Masters, I say! Stop, you infernal heathens! Stop, I say! Open thisold chicken-coop and let me out!'

As the astonished Turks slowly and with seeming reluctance set downtheir chair and liberated their prisoner, my guards made a forwardmovement. 

'Stop, you fellows!' called the newcomer, in the same peremptory tone. 'Where are you going with that man?'

As he flung himself from the chair he tossed a coin to the bearers, and promptly placed himself squarely in the way of my two guards. 

'Masters, ' he began, 'what in the name of wonder----'

'He's our prisoner, ' broke in one of my captors; and at the word DaveBrainerd threw back his head and laughed as only Dave could, seeingwhich my indignant escort made another forward movement. 

'Stop, you young--donkeys!' Dave threw back his coat, and at sight ofthe symbol upon his inner lapel the two young men became suddenly andrespectfully stationary. 'Now, ' panted Dave, still shaken withmerriment, 'w-what has he done?'

I stood silent, enjoying somewhat my guards' evident doubt, andwilling to let Dave enjoy to the full this joke at my expense, andafter a moment's hesitation one of the guards replied:

'He picked a pocket, they say. '

'Oh, they do? Well, my young friends, I can't blame you much; he is asuspicious-looking chap, but really he's quite harmless. You can turnhim over to me with a clear conscience. I'll run him in. ' And helaughed again, and tapped his coat-lapel. 'Really, boys, you've made aregular blunder. This pal of mine is entitled to wear this same badgeof _aristocracy_, only he seems to have wandered out for once withouthis credentials. How did it happen, Carl?'

But now my impatience broke out afresh, and I turned to the guards. 

'Look here, ' I said hurriedly, 'those two fellows who called you upand pretended to be robbed are fine workers, and I believecounterfeiters. I was watching them while they were roping that oldcountryman. If you want to repair a blunder, go back, see if you cantrace the men, or the old man and his wife, and report to your chief. '

They were very willing to go; and when we were free from them myfriend indulged in another long and hearty laugh at my expense. 

'Jove! Carl, but it's the richest thing out--that you, a crackdetective, coming here with extraordinary rights and privileges, should be nabbed by a couple of these young college lads at the verybeginning; it's too funny. How did it happen? Who caused your arrest?'

'An old woman, ' said I shortly, feeling that the fun was quite tooone-sided. But seeing the absurdity of it all, and knowing that Davewould have it all out of me sooner or later, I drew him out of thecrowd, and under the shadow of the viaduct just behind us, andstanding as much as possible aloof from the throng, I told my 'tale ofwoe. '

Before I had reached the end Dave was his serious self once more--adetective alert and keen. 

'You are sure, ' he began eagerly, 'that the old farmer was not one ofthem?'

I smiled, thinking of Mrs. Camp and the 'laggoons. '

'Perfectly sure. It was the old woman's quick eyes that did for me, ' Ireplied; 'she had seen me once too often, and her suspicions were onthe alert. I dare say she saw a "confidence man" in every person whocame suspiciously near them, but a woman pal could not have played onewhit better into their hands. '

Dave made a sudden start. 'Look here, ' he said, 'I'm going to try fora look at those fellows! I've got a sort of feeling that they maybelong to our gang, some of them--that match-vender now; the other, your smug friend, is too short, as you describe him, to be either ofour men; but the agent, and that fellow with the canes--describe thema little more in detail, but be quick, too; and the old folks--ofcourse they're taken in and done for before now; but I'd like to meetthat old woman, just on your account. I'm going straight to thatTurkish village; and you?' He began to laugh again. 

'Oh, I'm going back to the Administration Building, ' I said with agrimace, 'as soon as I've described your men for you. I don't feelinclined to wander about this mysterious and dangerous White City anymore until I am fitted out with a trade-mark. It is not safe--for me. '

Five minutes later Dave was on his way to the scene of my absurdescapade, and I was hastening back to the place which I never shouldhave left until I had made my bow before the 'man in authority, ' andhad been duly provided with the voucher which would open for me alldoors and command the aid or obedience of guards, guides, etc. ; until, in fact, I had been duly enrolled, and had taken rank as one of the'specials, ' who went and came at will and reported at pleasure or atneed. 

On my way I soundly berated myself for my folly in venturing sorecklessly and without authority to interfere in behalf of a sheep, when besieged by wolves, and in danger of losing no more than hisfleece. 

I had lost all interest in Farmer Camp, and felt not a spark ofphilanthropy in my whole being. 

But the White City was a place of surprises, and Farmer Camp and Iwere destined to meet again. 

As I approached the viaduct which separated the Midway Plaisance fromthe World's Fair proper, with my mind thus out of tune, and was aboutto pass under, a sharp guttural cry close beside me caused me to turnquickly about. 

'Ta-ka ca-ar-h! La-dee, la-dee!'

'Ah--h--h!'

The first cry, or warning, came from the throat of a grinning Turk, one of a number of palanquin-bearers, and the last from the lips of atall golden-haired girl who had been walking somewhat slowly, andquite alone, just before them, in the path she had chosen to take andto keep without swerving. There were half a dozen of them patteringalong in line between their vacant swinging palanquins, and they hadevidently learned that, being a 'part of the show, ' they might claimand keep the right of way. 

The rascally Turk had uttered his cry of warning without in the leastslackening his shuffling trot, and as the lady uttered the singlefrightened syllable, I saw that one of the poles in the bearer's handshad struck her with such force as to send her reeling toward me. 

Throwing out one hand for her support, I thrust back the now surlybearer with the other with such force as to throw him back upon hispoles and bring the whole cavalcade to a momentary halt. At the sametime a guard came up and ordered a turn to the right. 

'You fellows are not running in a tramway, Mr. Morocco, and you'llfind yourselves switched on to a side-track if you try the monopolybusiness on free American citizens--see!' The last word, emphasizedwith a sharp shove to the right, was easily comprehended by theglowering sons of Allah, and they moved on, silent, but darting blackglances from under their heavy brows. 

Meanwhile the fair one had recovered her poise and dignity, andthanked me, in the sweetest of voices, for my slight assistance, and Ihad found time to note that she was more than a merely pretty blonde. 

At that moment I was sure that I had never seen a more charming face, though she gave me only a glimpse of it; and when she turned away, andthe crowd about us, attracted for the moment, separated again into itsvarious elements, I stood gazing after her for a moment as stupidly asthe veriest schoolboy smitten at sight of his first love, and then, turning to go my way, and letting my eyes fall to the ground, I sawjust at my feet a small leather bag, or what is called by the ladies a'reticule. ' It lay upon the very spot where the young lady had been sorudely jostled, and I picked it up and turned to look after her. Shehad disappeared in the crowd, and after following the way she hadtaken for two or three blocks, and finding the crowd more dense andthe trail hopelessly lost, I turned at last and went back, bestowingthe little reticule in my largest pocket, and gradually bringing mythoughts back to my own affairs, and those of Greenback Bob and therascal Delbras. 

CHAPTER III. 

A CONUNDRUM. 

I had not gone far on my way after deciding that the lovely blonde hadquite escaped me--in fact, I was once more about to pass under theviaduct opposite the Woman's Building and which separated Midway fromthe grounds proper--when a tall figure in blue appeared at my elbow, and fell easily into my somewhat hasty stride while saying:

'You will pardon me, I hope, for intruding, and let me say how much Iappreciated and enjoyed the sudden way in which you halted that Turkjust now. It was scientifically done. '

I turned to look at the speaker. His words were courteously uttered, and I knew him at once by his blue uniform for one of thosecollege-bred guards who have helped so much to make the great Fair asuccess to question-asking visitors. He was a tall, handsome fellow, with an eye as brown as his hair, and as honest and direct as thesun's rays at that very moment, and I recognised him almost at once asthe guard who had hastened to lend his aid, and had sent the Turks tothe right-about, there being nothing else to do. A churl could nothave resisted that pleasant half-smile. 

'It was nothing, ' I said carelessly; 'the fellow was wantonlyheedless. '

'It was a very pretty and scientific turn of the wrist, ' he insisted, 'and--yes, those fellows at first were obsequious enough; now, some ofthem, having found out how ill-mannered the Americans dare be withoutbeing beaten, are aping our manners. I--I trust the young lady was nothurt?'

The big brown eyes turned from me as he put the question, for that itwas, and I saw a dull-red flush rise from his throat and dye his faceto the very tip of his jaunty visor. I detected, too, a note ofanxiety in the mellow voice that he could not quite suppress. 

'I don't know, but fancy not--not much, at any rate. ' We had come outfrom the shadow of the viaduct, and he halted as I spoke. I checked mysteps also, and I checked my speech too. The anxiety in the voice wasreflected now in the face. I was smiling slightly, and through my mindflitted a fragment of doggerel:

 'Oh, there's nothing so flirtatious As the bowld soldier boy!'

Suddenly the brown eyes came back to my face, open and clear as day. 

'I owe it to myself, ' he said, with sudden dignity, 'to explain. Atthe moment when she turned away, I recognised the young lady as anacquaintance, and was naturally interested to know if she had receivedany hurt--the blow seemed a severe one. I saw you pick up her bag andstart in pursuit, and when you came back I ventured to address you. Icould not follow far; this is my beat. '

'I see!' I was quite won by the young fellow's frank and manly air andhis handsome face; 'and I'm sorry I can't enlighten you. I did notfind the lady. '

'Oh!' There was a world of disappointment in this one syllable, andbefore he could utter another a new voice broke into the dialogue. 

'Pardon me, please! But'--a little pant--'but I saw you pick up myfriend's bag, and--and she was so fatigued after the shock that I ranback. '

The speaker stopped here, and for several seconds seemed occupied inrecovering her breath. She was a small and plump brunette, welldressed, and wearing a dashing sailor-hat of black, wide-brimmed andadorned with two aggressive-looking scarlet wings; this and the redveil dotted with black which partially concealed the face was all thatI had time to note before she spoke again, coming closer to me andaltogether ignoring the good-looking guard. 

'She was so startled and nervous after the shock that she sat downnear the Java Village, and I came back the moment I could leave her. 'She shot a glance over her shoulder, and turned her look squarelyupon the guard, who had drawn back a pace. 'A chair-boy, ' she hurriedon, 'waiting near the Libbey Glass Works saw you pick up the bag, andtold us the way you had gone. Will you please give me the bag?'

I had been studying the little brunette while she talked, and I nowsaid:

'I am very sorry your friend did not come in person. She did not seemmuch hurt. '

'She was not, and she would have come with me, only----' Again shecast her eyes in the direction of the guard, who still stood lookingboth anxious and ill at ease, and for a moment she seemed to hesitate. In that moment the guard's fine face flushed again, and then setitself in cold, resolute lines. He lifted his hand in salute to me, and, without a second glance at the little brunette, strode backtoward the viaduct. 

The face of the girl showed instant relief, and she put out her hand. 

'The bag, please!'

'Excuse me, ' I answered, 'but really I can't let the lady's propertyout of my hands without something to prove your right to it. Since thelady is so near, if you will permit, I will go back with you. '

'How dare'--she threw back her head, and her black eyes dartedannihilation--'how dare you, sir! Because I condescend to address you, to oblige an acquaintance, do you fancy I will accept your escort andpocket your insult? Not for ten thousand leather bags!' She turnedupon her heel and went swiftly back towards Midway, and after watchingher for a moment I resumed my often-interrupted march, smiling as Iwent to think how the clever little brunette had been thwarted. Thatshe was an adventuress I did not for a moment doubt. She had seen thedropped bag, of course, and had noted my pursuit of its owner, andits failure, and she had counted upon making me an easy dupe with thatassured little demand of hers. But I was not quite a stranger to herkind. Perhaps if the good-looking guard had not been so suddenly putto rout I might have turned the young lady over to him; such offenderswere his legitimate care. But as I thought of her easy, self-possessed, good society air, and the black eyes so keen andsophisticated, and then of his frank, ingenuous face, I almost laughedaloud. She would have laughed at his authority, and slipped throughhis fingers easily. 

How quickly he had turned away at the first hint that she found hispresence at our brief interview undesirable, flushing like a boy, too!

Of course I readily saw why she should prefer to make her littleattempt without witnesses, especially those clothed with a measure ofauthority; and yet he had seemed to go away reluctantly. 

And then I remembered his explanation or excuse in having followed andaddressed me. He had known the young lady--owner of the bag. Why, ofcourse--he wanted to hear of her further, from the lips of thissupposed girl friend. 

'Poor fellow!' I thought, beginning to imagine a little romance therein the White City; and then I turned myself about with a sudden jerk. 

Truly, my wits were wool-gathering. Confound that little adventuress!He had turned away so suddenly, and he knew the owner of the bag. Iwould find him at once--he was not far away--and I would wash my handsof that little black bag. 

But it was not to be. I had expected to find my handsome guard easily, and I did not find him at all. After a half-hour spent in prowling upand down, I encountered a file of guards marching briskly. I caught atmy watch, and then scoffed at myself. Of course my guard had gone todinner; I would do likewise, and then, when my other and more personalduties had been discharged, I would look up the guard. It would bequite easy. 

The arrangements for our comfort during our stay in the White City hadbeen completed in advance of our coming, and Dave and I had beenquartered together in a cosy little apartment, which we could reacheasily and as quietly as if it were an isolated dwelling, instead ofbeing in the very centre of all the beauty and bustle of the Fair. 

Having paid my respects to the 'man in authority, ' and after he hadmade me familiar with the inner workings of the splendid system bywhich the White City was to be watched over and protected, andacquainted with some of my co-workers, I was ready for a heartyluncheon, and then I found myself my own master for the remainder ofthe day, or until four o'clock, when Dave and I were to meet byappointment at the Ferris Wheel and tempt its dangers together. 

Of course my first attempt, after luncheon, was to find my handsomeguard; but while good-looking young fellows and polite young fellowsin blue uniforms were to be seen on every hand, the one face for whichI looked was nowhere visible. I still had the lost bag in my outerpocket, which I watched jealously, for its bulk could be but tooplainly seen; and when Dave and I found ourselves moving slowly upwardat the tip of one of those giant spokes of the big wheel, he fixed hiseye upon this pocket, and asked with a grin:

'Got an extra luncheon in case we are stranded in mid-air until pastthe Christian dinner-hour?'

Of course I told him the story of the find--but briefly, for my eyeswere busy watching the people in the grounds below grow less and lessin size, until they seemed like flies moving about eccentrically, thelegs of the men seeming to jerk about convulsively, and lookingautomatic from that height. 

There was much to amuse us in Midway, or on it; for at first thestreet, with its strange population, was spectacle enough, and we didnot think of the black bag again until we found ourselves occupyingisolated places upon the lofty seats in Hagenbeck's great animal show, and being serenaded by an excellent band, while we watched the entryof the happy family. 

We had entered at a time midway between the closing of one performanceand the beginning of another, and we found it a comfortable place inwhich to exchange experiences and compare notes. 

My first question had been of the Camps and their swindling friends, but Dave's report was scant. He had seen the man of the canes, but theseller of 'soo-vy-neer' matches was no longer he of the big moustacheand goodly height, but a small elderly Turk, who piped weakly andplied his calling listlessly. The Camps, Smug, the gentlemanly agent, all had disappeared from off Midway. I was not surprised at this, neither was I disappointed; and having said as much, I took up theparable of my latest adventure upon Midway, telling of my encounterwith the guard and the little brunette, and letting my fun-lovingfriend enjoy another good laugh at my expense. 

'I must say, Carl, old fellow, that so far as I have traced yourcareer this first day at the Fair, you have not shone out brilliantly. But never mind, partner: "a bad beginning"--you know the rest. Oh, arewe to have a look at the bag?'

I had drawn it forth and placed it upon my knee. It was a smallreceptacle of finest alligator-skin, with an outside pocket, andhaving attached to it the tiny chain and hook by which it had beensecured to the young lady's girdle. It closed with a silver clasp, andin the open outside pocket was a fine white handkerchief with someinitials embroidered in one corner. 

'J. J. , ' read Dave slowly. 'That don't tell us much, does it, oldman?'

I looked about me. There was no one near us, and on the opposite sideof the big pavilion the band was playing 'After the Ball. ' I pressedthe silver clasp, and the bag lay open in my hand. 

'Gad!' exclaimed Dave. 'The woman who owns that is as dainty as aprincess. '

He was quite right. The little bag contained only a smallsilver-handled penknife, a dainty tablet and pencil, a glove-buttoner, a second little handkerchief, fine and smoothly folded, and twoletters. 

When I had taken out these articles one by one and laid them on myknee, Dave took the bag from my hand and turned it upside down. 

'Nothing more, ' he said, shaking his head sagely. 'Not a bit of candy;not a powder-puff or perfume sachet. Well, well! Carl, the owner ofthis little article, whoever she is, besides being dainty and withoutvanity, is a very clever little woman, and I'll wager she's pretty, too. '

This outbreak was so like Dave that I only smiled, while I unfoldedthe handkerchief and shook it out over my unoccupied knee. In onecorner, in exquisitely dainty embroidery, were the two initials 'J. J. , ' and when Dave had shut the bag and looked again at the closedclasp, he discovered, finely cut on the metal, the same initials. 

'J. J. , ' mused Dave; 'that suggests any number of charmingpersonalities--Juliet, Juno, Jessica. '

'Jane, or Jemima, ' I supplemented, taking up one of the letters. 

It was post-marked Boston, and bore date three days before, but itgave us no further information. 

Through the name, across the middle of the square envelope, half adozen heavy lines had been pencilled, and these in turn checkedthrough with little vertical dashes; below were the sketchily-drawnsupports, which indicated a bridge, and upon this bridge a processionof people vaguely outlined as to body, but elaborated as to face tosuch a degree of artistic cleverness that Dave uttered an exclamationof delight. 

'An artist, upon my soul! Look at those faces! Gad! but that is welldone! There are types for you, and hardly more than thumb-nailportraits at that. But it's spoiled the address; we can't get J. J. 'sname out of that. '

It was quite true; under the crossed lines forming the platform of abridge, evidently a sketch of one of the structures spanning thelagoons, the name was quite concealed, but below, through the wavingwater-lines and the curves of the arch, we could read and guess theremainder of the address, thus:

 '---- ---- ---- ---- ----, 'Chicago, 'Illinois. 'Massachusetts Building, World's Fair. '

I put this letter down and took up the other envelope. Upon this waswritten a woman's name, nothing more, neither town, county, nor state. 

'Conundrum?' commented Dave over my shoulder. Just then there was asudden blare from the band, and a roar that almost startled mysophisticated nerves. 

I turned my eyes toward the arena, where a splendid white horse nowstood, caparisoned in a sort of armour upon back and neck, and pawingimpatiently, while he waited opposite a sort of portable platformhigher than the horse's back, and gaily cushioned and decorated. Agreat tawny male lion was in the act of leaping from the ground tothis high perch. I had seen many exhibitions of animal intelligenceand training, but when this king of lions, uttering a second mightyroar, leaped to the back of the waiting horse and rode about the ringlike a trained rider, leaped through a hoop held in the mouth of a bigspotted boarhound, and otherwise acquitted himself like anaccomplished rider, I forgot the conundrum of the little black bag, and my mission at the World's Fair, and looked and applauded, and wassimply one of five hundred sight-seers. 

It was useless to contend; the charm was upon us; the first day at theFair had us at last in thrall, and we watched the trained lions, tigers, bears, and pumas, admired the ponies, applauded the dogs, andwondered at the plucky woman trainer, without a thought beyond thepassing moment. 

The fever lasted until night had fallen, until we had trundled fromend to end of Midway in a pair of wheeled chairs, visited the DahomeyVillage, the Ostrich Farm, the Chinese Theatre, and the littlecommunity of quaint, shy, industrious Javanese, leaving it still inthe spirit of adventure, and sauntering, after a dinner in Old Vienna, here and there through a veritable fairyland, glittering, glistening, shining, radiant from the splendid dome of the AdministrationBuilding, with its girdles of fire, its great statues shining underthe golden glow, and the lagoons with their lights and shadows, theirgondolas gliding to and fro between flowering banks or illuminatedfaçades, with fountains playing, music filling the air, and everywherelaughter, merry voices, and gay throngs of enchanted pleasure seekers. What wonder that we lingered long, and that it was only when we wereshut between four walls, the lights out, the White City asleep, that Ithought again of J. J. And her lost letters; and now, as I thought, the fair blond face seemed to rise before me, and I saw again the slimfigure flit past me on Midway. 

Brainerd lay sleeping near me, and I thought of his comment, 'Aconundrum?' Why not search for the answer in these white billets, and, finding it, take the little black bag to the bureau of the 'lost orfound'?

I took up the bag, opened it, hesitated, and put it down. Why should Iread those letters from a stranger, and to a stranger? I leaned out ofthe window and drank in the loveliness all about me, illuminated by afaint young moon. 

'A conundrum?' I took up the letter post-marked Boston, and slowlydrew out--ah, it was more than a mere letter that my hand touched thatnight. I had put my finger upon a thread in the web of fate!

CHAPTER IV. 

'I CAN'T MAKE MYSELF LIKE HIM. '

I am not superstitious, and I certainly had no intimation then of thepart these letters would soon play in my World's Fair adventures, norof the use I should make of them; but I opened that letter with anuncomfortable feeling of curiosity and interest, and without evenpausing to look again at the tiny grotesque faces of that littlebridge procession so artistically sketched upon the envelope. 

The letter, like its cover, was dated from Boston, and was just fourdays old. 

'Just received, ' I said to myself, as I took up the wrapper to look atthe Chicago postmark. 'Yes, came last night. She must have read itthis very morning, sitting upon some one of those shaded seats onWooded Island, and after reading it she must have amused herself bycopying the people passing over the nearest bridge. Ergo, she musthave been alone. ' My detective instincts were rousing themselves;already I was half unconsciously handling that unread letter as if itwere a 'feature' in a 'case. '

She was alone, too, when we met on Midway; that is, I saw nocompanion. Could it be possible that the young lady was really alonein this densely populated place? How absurd! I looked at the letteragain. 

It was written in a beautiful flowing hand, and I said, after amoment's scrutiny, 'Written in haste and under excitement. ' There wereeight closely written pages, and having begun their perusal, I read tothe end without a pause. The letter was signed 'Hilda O'Neil, ' andthere was no street number nor post-office box, only the name of thecity from whence it came, Boston. 

Hilda O'Neil was the name written on the second letter, this andnothing more; but this no longer surprised me. Miss O'Neil was a NewYork girl, and a guest, at the time of writing, of the sister of heraffianced, in Boston. This young man was already in Chicago, makingarrangements for his family, who were to come as soon as informed byhim that apartments in the already crowded city were in waiting. Theywere 'all ready for the flitting, ' and were now wondering why 'Gerry'did not wire them. He had written that his plans 'were nearcompletion, ' and that he should telegraph them in two or three days atthe latest, at the time of writing. The three days were just about toexpire, hence the excitement visible in the penmanship of Miss O'Neil. Betwixt impatience and anxiety she confessed herself 'growing reallyfidgety, ' especially as 'Gerry' was always so prompt, 'and then--don'tthink me silly, dear--but, really, Chicago is such a wicked, dangerousplace, especially now. '

I smiled as I read this paragraph, and thought of Master 'Gerry'doubtless giving himself a last day or two of freedom from escortduty, and of fun, perhaps, on Midway. Decidedly, detectives are notseers. 

And the second letter. Since the first did not tell me how or where tofind the owner of the little bag, this letter must. And hername--would that be revealed? I opened the missive and read itthrough, with some surprise and a great deal of admiration. 

I had been right in my conjectures of the writer. I found her namesigned in full at the bottom of her last thick sheet of creamynote-paper; she had penned the letter in her own room that verymorning, and had held it unsealed and only half addressed until shehad applied at her State post-office for the expected letter from herfriend, and this having been received, she had thrust thenewly-written missive into the little bag, hoping, doubtless, soon tomeet her correspondent, who might now be on the way, and to tell herstory--for the letter contained a story--which, doubtless, she wouldmuch prefer to do. 

And now, so much can a few written pages do, I almost felt that I knewJune Jenrys, for that was her name, and her friend Hilda O'Neil. 

Miss O'Neil's letter had told me first something about herself: thatshe was a petted and somewhat spoiled only daughter; something of anheiress, too, if one might judge from her prattle about charming andcostly costumes and a rather reckless expenditure of pin-money; andthat she was betrothed to Gerald Trent, of the great Boston firm ofTrent and Sons, with the full consent and approval of all concerned. What life could be more serene? Young, fair, rich; a lover and manyfriends; and now _en route_ for the World's Fair, to enjoy it in herlover's society. Happy girl! the only little speck upon her fairhorizon when she penned that letter was the fact that her dearestfriend and schoolmate was not quite so happy. 

And June Jenrys? The two letters taken together had told me this: Shewas an orphan, and wealthy, left in her teens to the guardianship ofan aunt, her father's widowed sister, a woman of fashion _parexcellence_. During her niece's minority this lady had tyrannized allshe would, and now, Miss Jenrys having recently come of age, she yettyrannized all she could. The aunt was eager to mate her niece to aman of her own selection and a heavy purse. The niece until recentlyhad looked with some favour upon a young man, handsome enough--evenMiss O'Neil admitted that--and a gentleman beyond question, but withno visible fortune. A short time before--but I will let Miss Jenrystell this much of her own story, quoting from the fourth page of herletter:

'I did not mean it so, really, Hilda dear, although it has seemed soto you. You see, I expected to meet you in Boston ere this, and thatis so much better than writing; and now I must write after all, andinstead of its being from me in Boston to you in New York, it is fromme here in the "White City"--such a city, Hilda!--to you in Boston, and at Nellie Trent's. 

'Well, you must know this, that it was just after Aunt Charl had"washed her hands of me, " matrimonially speaking, for the--well, forthe last time; and I was feeling very high and mighty, and Aunt Charlquite subdued, for her, that we gave a reception, the last beforeLent. Of course he was there, and I had made up my mind that day thatI would be honest with my own heart in spite of Aunt Charl. "I'm surehe cares for me, " I said to myself, and--well, I knew I liked him alittle. I knew he only waited for the opportunity to speak, and whileI would have died rather than help him make it, I said, "If he doesfind the chance--if he does speak, or when he does--well!"

'I shall never forget that night! Aunt was good enough to say that Iwas looking my very best. I am sure I felt so. But of course auntspoiled it all--her pretty speech, I mean. 

'"June, " she wheedled, "that handsome Maurice Voisin will be here, andI happen to know that he admires you very much. Charlie Wiltby says heis no end of a swell in Paris, and that he is really a rich man, whoprefers to be modest, and avoids fortune-hunting girls. You are oldenough to settle down, and with your fortune and his you might be aleader in Parisian society. There's no place in the world where moneyand good looks together will do so much for one as they will inParis. " Think of it, Hilda! If I had not felt so at peace with all theworld just then, there would have been an--occurrence then and there. But I held my tongue, and was even inclined to be a little sorry thataunt's silly talk was making me feel a genuine antipathy for M. Maurice Voisin of Paris renown; and really at that time I hardly knewthe man. He is certainly rather good-looking, in a dark, Spanishfashion, and he is taller and somehow more muscular-looking than thetypical Frenchman. He is certainly polished, shines almost too muchfor my liking; but that may be, really, Aunt Charl's fault rather thanMr. V. 's. That night, at least before supper, I had no word or thoughtagainst him. 

'But I must get on about him, and I'll make it very short. You knowhow our conservatory is arranged, and that little nook just at theentrance to the library, where the palms are grouped? Well, I haddanced with them both, and he had just asked me to go with him intothe conservatory, "to sit out a waltz, " when M. Voisin came to claimit. I had for the moment forgotten it, and he had only time to sayjust one word--"after. "

'Well, I'll be candid, if it does humiliate me; after that waltz Ieluded M. Voisin, leaving him with Aunt Charl, and went into theconservatory. 

'It was so early, and the dancers still so fresh, that no one wasthere as yet. I had been stopped once or twice on my way, and when Ientered the conservatory by way of the drawing-room, I fancied for amoment that someone was standing in the shadow of the palms, justinside the library door; but I went on, and reached the nook withoutbeing observed. I sat down, quite out of sight, thinking that if heentered from the ball-room the most direct way I should see him first. Imagine my surprise, then, when almost instantly I heard a movement onthe other side of the mound of fairy palms, and then at the very firstword came my own name. There! I will not repeat the shameful words, but it was his voice that owned to an intention to "honour" me with aproposal, because his finances were getting low, and he must choosematrimony as the least of two evils, etc. While I sat there, unable tomove, and half stunned by this awful insult, suddenly there was aquick rustling, a half-stifled laugh, some whispered words, and thenanother voice which I did not at first recognise, said, very near me, "Ah, good-evening, Mr. --a--Lossing! Charming spot, really. " Then therewas another movement, some low muttered words, and the sound offootsteps going across the marble toward the library. Then suddenly, right before me, appeared M. Voisin. I could not conceal my agitation, and gave the same old hackneyed reason--heat, fatigue, suddenfaintness. M. Voisin hastened in search of water, and I dropped myface upon my hands, to be aroused the next moment by _his_ voice, agitated, hurried, making me a proposal. Then something seemed tonerve me to fury. I sprang up, and, standing erect before him, said:

'"Mr. Lossing, as I am unfortunately not in the matrimonial market, Ifear I cannot be of assistance to you, much as I regret that the lowstate of your finances is driving you to so painful a step. Allow meto pass!" Before he could reply I had swept past him, and meeting M. Voisin just beyond the palms, I took his arm and went back to theball-room. Hilda, pride and anger held me up then, for I fullybelieved him the most perfidious of men. But since, much as I hatemyself for it, there are times when I doubt the evidence of my ownsenses, and cannot believe that he ever said those words. The nextmorning, while my anger still blazed, he sent me a letter, which Ireturned unopened. That is all, Hilda. He left town the same day, Ihave been told. 

'And now you understand, doubtless, why I am here. M. Voisin, ofcourse, was not to blame, but I could not disconnect him from the restof the hateful experience; and so at the beginning of Lent I packed mytrunks and set out for the country and Aunt Ann's at Greenwood. DearAunt Ann, who is so unlike Aunt Charl!'

Then followed some details of their arrival at the World's Fair and anamusing account of the good lady's first impressions, which were solarge and so astounding that she was obliged to '"remain at home andtake the entire day to think things over in. " Think of it, Hilda, shutup like a hermit just two blocks from the gate! Is not that likenobody on earth but sweet, slow, obstinate, countrified Aunt Ann?--ofwhom, thank heaven, I am not one bit ashamed, in spite of her Shakerbonnet. But I can't lose a day of this wonder, and fortunately dearAunt Ann never dreams of tabooing my sight-seeing. When I proposed tocome alone this morning, the dear soul said:

'"Well, I should hope thee could. Only two straight blocks betweenhere and the gate at Fifty-seventh Street, and if thee can manage toget lost with all those guards and guides, to say nothing of the mapsand pictures, thee is a stupid niece, and thee may just go back to thyAunt Charlotte Havermeyer. " If Aunt Charl could only hear that! Well, dear, I have promised myself a happy time here with Aunt Ann when sheis not occupied with her meditations, and yourself soon, and withoutAunt C. ; but, alas! everybody will visit the Fair; and yesterday, upon Midway, whom should I see but M. Voisin! He was attired as I havenever seen him before, quite _négligée_, you know, and wearing aTurkish fez. It was very becoming. He did not see me, and for this Iwas thankful. I did not come to the World's Fair to see M. Voisin, andeven to please Aunt Charl I can't make myself like him. '

I put down this letter and smiled over its sweet ingenuousness, andsingularly enough I joined the fair writer in heartily disliking M. Voisin. 

'He was altogether too conveniently near at the scene of that unluckyproposal, ' I muttered to myself, and then I turned to the otherletter. I wanted to see what I could make, between the two, out ofyoung Lossing. 

'I have asked you twice, ' Miss O'Neil wrote, 'about your affair withyoung Mr. Lossing. Your aunt is entirely at a loss, only she declaresshe is sure that you have refused him, and that in some way he hasoffended you; and I thought him almost perfect, a knight _sansreproche_, etc. ; and he is so handsome, and frank, and manly. Whathappened, dear? It is so strange that he should vanish so utterly fromsociety where he was made so much of; and no one seems to know wherehe went, or when, or why, or how. Gerry says he was a perfectcompanion, "and as honourable as the sun. " There, I'll say no more. '

My reading was broken in upon at this point by a prolonged chuckle, and I looked up to see Brainerd wideawake and staring at me. 

'Well, ' he queried promptly, 'have you found out her name?'

'Yes; it is June Jenrys. ' As I spoke I returned Miss O'Neil's letterto its decorated envelope, and replaced the two in the bag. 'I'll tellyou about them, ' I said, as I put it aside. Somehow I felt a suddenreluctance at the thought of seeing those two letters in the hands andunder the eyes of an inveterate joker like Dave. 'I'm no wiser in thematter of address, however. ' And then I told him the purport of theletters in the fewest words possible. 

'Do you know, ' said Dave, when I had finished my recital, 'I don'tlike that Voisin, not even a little bit. I think he's a bad lot. '

I smiled at this. There was not a jot of romance in Dave Brainerd'smake-up, and not a great depth of imagination; but he was the keenestman on a trail, and the clearest reasoner among a large number ofpicked and tried detectives. It amused me to think that both had beensimilarly impressed by this man as he had been set before us; but Imade no comment, and to draw away from a subject which I felt itbeyond our province to discuss I asked:

'Dave, what did you mean this afternoon, when we opened that bag, bysaying that the owner was a clever woman? Upon what did you found thatremark?'

'Why, upon the fact that she did not put her purse in that convenient, but conspicuous, little bag; in consequence of which she is, or was, only slightly annoyed, instead of being seriously troubled at itsloss. By the way, or rather to go out of the way, do you know thatthey have in the French Government Building a very fine and completeexhibition of the Bertillon identification system? I want to get to itbright and early in the morning. '

I moved to his side and sat down upon the bed. We were both admirersof this fine system, and for some moments we discussed it eagerly, aswe had done more than once before; and when I put my head upon mypillow at last, it was with J. J. And her interests consigned to asecondary place in my mind, the first being given over to thiswonderful French system, the pride of the Paris police and terror ofthe French criminal. 

But we little know what a day, or a night, may bring forth. 

Someone rapped at our door at an unpleasantly early hour, and thesummons brought Dave out of bed with a bound, and in another momenthad put all thought of the previous night out of our heads. 

'Will you come to the captain's office at once, gentlemen?' said avoice outside, and I caught a glimpse of a guard's blue uniformthrough the half opened door. 'There's been a big diamond robberyright under our noses, and they're calling out the whole force. '

CHAPTER V. 

'IT'S ALL A MIRACLE. '

It was even as the summoning guard had said, and the Secret ServiceBureau was in a very active condition when Brainerd and myselfarrived. 

Already telephone messages were flying, or had flown, to the variousdistricts, and at every gate, thanks to the almost perfect systeminstituted by Superintendent Bonfield, shrewd and keen-eyed men wereon the alert for any and all suspicious personages, and woe to thosewhose descriptions were written down in the books of the secretservice men. They must be able to give good account of themselves, ortheir liberty would be brief. 

It was not difficult to guess why my friend and myself had been sopromptly summoned, in spite of the fact that already more than threehundred men, trained detectives, from our own large cities and fromabroad, were upon duty here. 

It was because they were on duty, every man at his post, whateverthat might be, and because Brainerd and myself--having newly arrivedand being for the moment unoccupied--were both near and available. Because, too, we were specials, that is, not subject to routineorders. 

The robbery had really been a large one, and a bold one. 

A collection of gems, cut and uncut, belonging to a foreign exhibit, and placed almost in the centre of one of those great well-guardedbuildings, must be, one would think, proof against attack. Carefullysecured in their trays and boxes, shut and locked behind heavy platesof glass in bronzed iron frames, guarded by day by trusted employésalways under the eye of manager or exhibitor, and by night by a guardof drilled watchmen, what collection could be safer?

Nevertheless, at night there sparkled in those crystal prisms a littlesilver leaf with slightly curved edges, holding what looked like atiny heap of water-drops, congealed and sparkling, shot through by awinter sunbeam; several larger diamonds, uncut, but brilliant and ofgreat value; some exquisite specimens of pink topaz, and one greatlimpid, gleaming emerald, the pride of the fine collection. This atnight. In the morning--they were not. 

We sat down, a small group, for we did not hold council in the outeroffice, nor with one superfluous member, and began to find or make forourselves a starting-point. 

The work had been done very deftly. One of the glass plates had beencut out close to the bronze frame, and the gems removed; but that wasnot the strange part of the affair. In their places counterfeit gemshad been put, careful imitations of the originals, and the glass platehad been deftly put in its place again. 

'Ah!' said the fussy and half-distracted little man who representedthe great foreign house so neatly defrauded, 'Ah! if I had not comedown this morning, not one othair would haf know. I am the one onlyexpairt. See! I am praisant wen the plaice is un-cloase. I stant near, wen soomsing make a beeg chock'--he meant shock or jar--'ant richttown falls out the klass. Wen I haf zeen it, I go queek ant look atdoze shems. Ach! I know it awal--'tis fawlze awal--effery stonzes!'

That was the story. They had found the glass cut, and false gems inplace of the true. 

When we had stemmed the tide of this foreign eloquence, which was notfor some time, I asked:

'How many know of this?'

'Nopotty at all onlee----'

'Not more than half a dozen, ' broke in the chief of the bureau. 'Ofcourse it wouldn't do! These are not the things that we like to letthe public into. It wouldn't harmonize. '

'Ah-h-h!' aspirated the little man. 'It would trive away awal thetiamont mershants togetheer! U-u-og!'

'Right you are, ' murmured Dave; and then in a louder tone, 'Can youtrust your people to keep silent?'

'Ah! neffear fe-ur; tay know it is for tare goo-et. '

'Where are they?'

'The attendants?' queried the captain. 'Two are in charge of thepavilion, which remains closed. Lausch here was very clever; he sentfor me at once, meantime keeping everything under cover; and when Isaw how the land lay, I ordered close mouths all around, and put up acard "Closed for repairs. " Then I sent for you, and we came back here. Of course you will want to see the place. '

'The place and the people, ' I said, somewhat impatiently; 'and wecan't get it over too quick. '

We spent three of the long morning hours in viewing, first the casewhere the real gems had been, and next the shams that had taken theirplace; then the surroundings, and last, and one by one, the peopleengaged about the Lausch pavilion. They were all Viennese, speakingthe English language fairly well, far better than Mr. Lausch himself;and after we had questioned them closely and carefully, we closetedourselves together and discussed the few 'points' so far gathered, ifpoints, upon investigation, they proved to be. 

'Carl, ' chuckled my friend when we were at last alone, 'one of ourmissions here at the great Columbian Exposition was to hunt diamondthieves--eh!'

Of course his meaning was plain to me, but I chose to differ with him;there was no better way of rousing his wits. 

'Of all the expert thieves on the two continents, the only ones whowill not come here will be those whose faces are in every rogues'gallery in the land, ' I replied. 'It would be too much good luck tofind Bob and Delbras mixed up in this deal. '

'And yet, ' declared he, 'I am willing to wager that it's the work ofDelbras _et al_. Who but he would have prepared himself with a fullassortment of paste jewels. Honestly, old man, don't you agree withme?'

'Yesterday, ' I replied, 'I was ready to swear that Greenback Bob andhis friend Delbras were circulating, perhaps issuing, those two-dollarGovernment notes. '

'And what's to hinder you thinking so still, eh?'

'Only that it would be too much of a fairy story to find our work cutout for us in such a way. '

Dave threw one sturdy leg across the chair nearest him, and settledhimself in his favourite attitude for an argumentative discourse. 

'Young man, ' he began, 'if you can find anything connected with thisWhite City that has sprung out of the lake and the prairie that hasnot a touch of the Arabian Nights about it, I want to know where itis. Can you show me anything more fairylike than this fairy city, built, as it has been, in the teeth of time?'

'Oh----'

'I tell you it's all a miracle, a nineteenth-century miracle! To comedown to facts, now, you and I came here expecting to find GreenbackBob, didn't we?'

'Yes, of course. '

'And we have good reason to believe that Delbras is also here. Notmuch miracle about that, you'll admit. '

'No, ' I assented, knowing that he must reach his climax in his ownway. 

'No; I should say so! But here is a miracle, a regular White Citymiracle. I wonder if Delbras and company know that--leaving a coupleof thousand of blue-coated Columbian guards out of the question, andthey're bright fellows, let me tell you--there are here three hundredand odd picked detectives, a squad at every gate, and every gate andevery district connected by telephone with the main office here. Let asuspicious character appear, click goes the nearest telephone, sendingthe man's description to headquarters, and then, click, click, click, to every district, every gate, every man, goes this same description. Oh, the crooks whose faces are known will find a warm welcome here!It's only the fine workers, who have been so successful that they arenot well known, who can make hay in this place. '

'All the same, ' I here submitted, 'for such fellows as Delbras and hisilk, who know the world on both continents, this is a promising field, in spite of the telephone system and the detectives in plain clothesat every gate. '

'As how?'

'To the man who can speak several tongues, and is an adept atdisguise, this Fair, with its citizens from every clime, will be abetter place for concealment than London, Paris, and New York rolledinto one. '

Dave gave utterance to a long, low whistle, and jerked himself to anupright position. 

'You're right again!' he cried. 'Come, let's get down to business. What's your idea about this robbery?'

'About the same as yours, I fancy. '

'And what's that?'

I took out my notebook, wherein I had jotted down the most importantitems of testimony elicited from the Lausch attendants, saying:

'Get out your notes, Dave; let's see how they agree. ' Dave producedhis own briefer notes, and I began running my finger slowly down thepages. 

'It was done during the day. '

'Of course!' impatiently. 

'And slowly--that is, a little at a time. '

'How slowly?'

'Well, for instance, Lausch himself told of a young woman who was muchtaken with the pink topaz display--you remember?'

'Yes;' beginning to smile behind his book. 

'He said that she wore a coat with a deep cape, and that she restedone arm upon the case. '

'Well, I did wonder what the woman's dress had to do with it. 'Gad, but you questioned those people until I began to feel sorry for them. What figure, now, is the dress likely to cut?'

I laughed. 

'In this case let us suppose that the young woman is one of the gang. '

'Oh!'

'And let us fancy that while she peered at the pink topaz--youremember Lausch told us that she excused her nearness by saying thatshe was very near-sighted?'

'That's so. '

'Well, while looking at the gems, with her face bent over the case, one arm upon the edge, and with the voluminous cape outspread, what isto prevent her using the other hand and arm to draw a diamond pointslowly and heavily along the glass, close to the metal?'

'By Jove! what indeed?'

'And why may not this act be repeated, three or four times, say, bythe same woman, slightly changed as to dress, as she could have been?Lausch, you recall, accosted her. '

'Yes. '

When Dave grew laconic I knew him to be almost convinced. 

'You will recall how each of the attendants remembered one or moreinstances of persons lingering long near the gems, or crowding soclose as to attract the attention of some of them. '

'Umph!'

'And Lausch distinctly remembered how a good-natured guard came to hisaid just as he was about to close his exhibits, and stood with hisback to the case, and his arms carelessly outspread upon the edgechaffing with a group of late sight-seers, and keeping them fromannoying him (Lausch) while he made things secure. Now I don't saythat it was done, but I can see how that guard might have played intothe hands of the gang, who might have been at hand three or fourstrong. Observe, the cases were high at the inner sides and shallow atthe front, and while the top sheet of glass, for purposes of display, was a large one, those forming the outer side were small and set intostout bronzed squares not to exceed seven inches in depth and ten inlength. Now, we will note that the back of the case, besides beinghigher than the front, is not of glass, but of wood, to admit of theuse of a mirror for lining, and to double the show and glitter of thegems. '

'Upon--my--word!'

'Now let us suppose our guard as standing before the case anddirectly in front of the diamonds. He is facing outward, and beforehim, hovering close, are some others, two or three, or more. On theother sides of the octagonal pavilion the other assistants are busy"closing up. " Lausch in person presides at the small safe in thecentre of the place. Now, while he is busy, with his eyes averted fora moment, a hand thrust under the outstretched arm of the guard maygently press something adhesive against the already cut glass and pullit out, and soon, when Lausch bends down to open the safe, or to placesome article therein, the hand draws out the little tray of gems; itwas small, and could have been concealed under one of those wrapsthrown conveniently across the arm. Now, a little ruse to substitutethe false gems and replace the glass under the guard's concealing arm, and the thing is done. If it all happened at the closing hour, whenthe big building was shadowy and one could see clearly only a shortdistance, when every exhibitor was occupied with his own, andvisitors, for the most part, were intent upon reaching the nearestexit--it was bound to succeed. Of course this is all theory, but----'

'It's the explanation of that theft, or I'm a sinner!' cried Dave, jumping up and beginning to pace the floor nervously. 'Carl, old man, I'll never chaff your "bump of imagination, " after to-day. I'm readyto begin work on just that theory. '

'Steady, steady, Dave. '

'All right, sir; at least we can make a beginning--we can find thatguard. '

'How?'

'Take his description from Lausch--find out who was detailed here----'

I put up my hand, and he stopped--staring. 

'Dave, there is not a Columbian guard on the force who would, orcould, have played that part--if it was played. It was simply one ofthe band wearing a guard's uniform. '

My friend sat down opposite me, and for some time not a word passedbetween us. Then he took up his notebook, and, drawing a small tabletoward us, said:

'Let's go over the ground slowly, and see if there is anything here tocorroborate your theory, or to point to any other conclusion. '

And now I knew that Dave was fixed, so far as his opinions wereconcerned, and that while he might declare himself convinced by mywisdom, he had been all the time simply establishing his ownconvictions, and that he was now ready for earnest work. 

It was some time before we came out from the superintendent's littleinner sanctum, but we were now quite ready to begin our campaign; andwhen we were given _carte blanche_ as to methods, and were promised asmany men as we might need for the work, we could ask for nothing more, or better. 

Our first demand was peremptory. There must be no publicity; no wordof the robbery must reach the vigilant reporters who were everywherein search of news. 

Next, we caused an accurate description of Greenback Bob to be sent toall the gates and different districts, with orders for an instantreport of the fact should he be seen, and that once seen he must beconstantly shadowed. 

Before we left the place we had arranged with Lausch to put a man ofour own choosing into the pavilion, whose business it would be to keepconstant watch over his people. For while he was ready to vouch fortheir honesty, we were not; rather, we were not willing to let anypossibility of a clue escape us. A second man was placed where hecould cultivate these people, and as much as possible outside ofbusiness hours. Not that we expected much from this, for we had seenno slightest sign of dishonesty among these people, who seemed toshun all society and to have no acquaintances outside their ownpavilion. 

After considering long, we decided not to bring the name of Delbrasinto the case, or to attempt to set any watch upon him in the regularway. To 'locate' Delbras should be our own especial work, and tofreshen our memories we reviewed the information furnished our chiefby the French commissaire. 

So far as was known there was no picture of him extant, and the Frenchreport described him about as follows:

'Nationality, French; age, probably about thirty to thirty-threeyears; height, six feet, or nearly; weight, one hundred andseventy-five pounds, approximate; figure good; square shoulders, military air; features, regular; thin lipped; chin sharply pointed;wears at times heavy beard, at others moustache and goatee; eyes dark, called black; hair same, heavy, and sometimes worn quite long; handswell kept, with long slender fingers; speaks English perfectly, accomplished, etc. ; a small triangular scar upon temple close to rootsof hair. Known to have been in Paris and London in early winter, andto have crossed to New York about January 1st. Returned to Paris sometime in March, and crossed last to New York in early May by steamer_Normandie_. '

'Well, ' had been Dave's comment as we reperused this summary of M. Delbras, 'he may disguise himself in many ways, but he can't changehis height very much, nor the colour of his eyes, nor his "regularfeatures"'--Dave's features were not strictly regular, and it was aweakness of his always to resent this descriptive phrase--'nor hisslim fingers, nor the scar on his temple close to the roots of thehair. '

We had spent a long morning in the rooms of the Secret Service Bureau, and as we were about to take leave, with but a step between us and theouter door, it was hastily opened and a guard entered, followed bytwo people whom I recognised as Farmer and Mrs. Camp. With a backwardstep and a quick glance at Dave, I turned and deliberately seatedmyself. 

The only occupants of the outer office at the moment of their entrywere the officer in command, who had just accompanied us from theinner office, and the subordinate who was in charge of this outeroffice, where complaints were received and first hearings granted. 

I had drawn back quickly, but the eye of Mrs. Camp was still keen, though she looked a trifle subdued. 

'The good land!' she ejaculated, catching at her husband's arm. 'Here's one of 'em now, Camp! They've caught him, anyhow!'

The words furnished Dave with a clue to the situation, and he droppedinto a chair beside me, and, after one droll look in my direction, gave himself up to a fit of silent mirth. 

Meantime the guard had advanced with dignity and announced to theofficer at the desk:

'This man has a complaint to bring, sir. '

'Wait!' It was Mrs. Camp, standing determinedly near the door ofentrance, who spoke. 'Afore you make a complaint, Adam Camp, about araskil that ain't here, s'pose you jest make sure that this here onethat is here in our midst don't git away. '

CHAPTER VI. 

A CRIMINAL HUNT. 

Now, I had told the officer in command my belief and suspicionsconcerning the counterfeit business which I believed was going onabout us, and had been told that two of the counterfeit bills hadalready been brought to his notice and captured within the week; andDave had insisted upon his hearing the story of my absurd arrest bythe guards, and now it only needed a look from me, and the sight ofDave's convulsed face, to make the situation plain to him. He steppedforward, but before he could speak a new thought had darted into DameCamp's active mind. 

'La!' she finished, 'I s'pose, come to think, he's been brought herenow to be tried, ain't he?'

With the shadow of a smile upon his face, the officer turned towardthe farmer. 

'What is your complaint?' he asked courteously; and he shot me aglance which I knew meant, 'Let him tell his own story. ' And now, being authorized to speak, Farmer Camp began to tell, in his ownhomely way, the story of the 'greenback swindle, ' as he termed it. When he had reached the point in the narrative where I made my unluckyattempt to rout the swindlers, he turned toward me. 

'I've had an idee sence, though my wife didn't agree with memuch'--here came an audible sniff from Mrs. Camp--'that this hereyoung man might 'a' meant well, after all, and we wus a little mitehasty; but, ye see, he'd been a-lookin' at us so long, an' my wife'dbeen a-noticin' it, havin' her mind kind o' sot like on confidencepeople and sech, that she felt kind o' oneasy at his sharp looks--theywus so keen, she said, an' so quick to look away, she got nervous, andsaid she felt as if he wus a-lookin' right inter my pockets. '

'There now, Camp, you needn't be a-excusin' me! I stick ter my idee. Anyone can see that the young feller ain't innocent, else somebody'd'a' spoke fur him, fust off----'

Here Dave exploded audibly, and the officer checked her with a motionof his hand. 

'Let me settle this point at once by telling you, madam, that thegentleman you have accused is an officer high in his profession, andsent here to protect the public and look after criminals. He had butjust arrived, and it was because of this that he was without hisofficer's badge, which would at once have put those men to rout had itbeen worn and displayed to them. Let me tell you now, to preventfurther mistakes, that the detectives upon whom we rely in greatestemergencies are always to be found in citizen's clothes, and they arenot likely to display a badge, except when necessary. '

Long before the end of this speech consternation was written all overthe face of Adam Camp, but his wife was made of sterner stuff, andwhen her better half had stuttered and floundered half through asufficiently humble apology, directed, of course, toward myself, shebroke in upon his effort, no whit abashed:

'There, Camp, it's easy enough ter see how we came ter make sech amistake, and I'm sure the young man will bear no malice to'ard acouple of folks old enough ter be his parients. 'Twas themsharp-lookin' eyes that set me ter noticin' ye, when you was lookin'over Camp fust off, down to the Administration Building, and when youwent an' sot down on the settee by him, an' then got up an' followedus so fur, what was I to think? You was a-watchin' us sure enough, only you meant well by it. But, land sakes! in sech a place, whereeverybody is tryin' to look out fur number one, I did what looked mydooty. I'm willin' to ask yer pardon, though, and I ain't goin' terbear no malice. '

Overwhelmed by this magnanimity, I murmured my thanks and completesatisfaction with her _amende honorable_, and tried to turn theoccasion to such profit as might be by questioning the man a little. 

'You were saying that you changed a bill, or were about to do so. Didthe man make any difficulty after I left you?'

'No, sir. He seemed in a kind of a hurry, and made out to be onsartinwhether he could spare so much small money, as he called it. Butfinally he counted out a roll of bills, and had me count them afterhim. '

'There--in the crowd where you stood?'

'Wal, no. He took us to one side a little--right in behind the placewhere the little man was a-sellin' canes--sort of up ag'inst apartition, and there we made the dicker. '

'And he left you right away?' queried the officer in charge. 

'Yes--jest about as quick as he could. '

'And the other, ' I asked, 'the man who took you to this agent--the manwith the large Sabbath-school class?'

'Oh! he asked us to go to the terminus station with him and see hisyoung men; but my wife wanted to see things, and we jest went as furas the door, out of perliteness. '

'And when did you discover that you had been swindled?'

'Wal, M'riar wanted to ride in one of them coopy things with aman-hoss behind and before; and when she got ready to get out, whichwas purty soon, I give one of them fellers a two-dollar soovyneerbill, but they made a great jabbering about it, and M'riar says, saysshe, "I guess they ain't got the change;" so I fished out somepennies, and a dime and two postage stamps, and after a bit they tuk'em and waddled off. Then we got to lookin' up and down, and we didn'thave no more 'casion to use money--M'riar was so busy seein' the folksand their clo's--till we got hungry, and then come the rumpus. When Icome to pay the bill, they was a reg'lar howl, an' we come mighty nearbein' marched off to the calaboose, same's you was. They said the billI offered 'em first off, an' all the rest, was counterfeit. '

Until now Brainerd had taken no part in the dialogue; but now, with aquick glance in my direction, he asked;

'Will you describe the man who gave you the money--the supposedagent?'

Camp pondered. 'Wal, ' he began, 'he was tall, 's much as six foot, Ishould say, an' his eyes were black an' big. His hair was consid'ablelong, and he had a good deal of it on his face in a big bushymoustache. He had a slim nose--and he wore a big di'mond on his littlefinger. '

'Did you notice his hands?'

'M--no. '

'Wal, I did!' interposed his wife. 'I seen the di'mond, ef 'twas adi'mond. His hands was white--real white, 'long side of his face, andthey looked like reg'lar claws; sech long fingers and pointed nails. '

'Ah!' Dave shot me a glance full of meaning. 'Now, Mrs. Camp, you seema very observing woman. Will you describe the other man--the gentlemanwith the Sabbath-school class?'

The woman's head became even more erect, and her look more firm andconfident than before. 'Yes, ' she said at once; 'I can. ' She cast hereyes about her, and, seeing a vacant chair near her interlocutor--theone lately vacated by myself--she seated herself deliberately, andbegan:

'He wasn't much to look at; about as big as you, mebbe, and about thesame complected as that gentleman, ' pointing to the sergeant at thedesk, 'only his nose was longer, and sort of big and nobby at the end, an' a leetle red. I remember he had bigger ears than common, too; theysort of set straight out. His eyes were little, and a sort of waterygray, and his hair was kind of thin and sandy-like. He had some littlemutton-chop whiskers, and a little hair, a'most tan-colour, on hisupper lip. His mouth was quite big, and I noticed he had two frontteeth with gold fillin' into 'em. He had gloves on his hands when wesee him first, but when we met him afterward they was off. '

'Afterward, you say--did you meet him after you had discovered thatyou had been swindled?' I broke in. 

'Yes--we----'

'You see, ' broke in Adam Camp, 'it was this way: we was comin' out ofMidway, for we'd been out a'most to the end a-seein' the sights, an'when we got hungry we went into a place a blue-coat said was good, theVienny Caffy, he called it. Well, it was there we had the fuss aboutthe money, and they told us to come here right away and make acomplaint. We started, and was jest comin' past that menagerie place, when M'riar wanted to stop jest afore the place and look at the biglion over the door. '

'A live one, ' interpolated M'riar. 

'Yes, a live one. Well, standin' there, all to once I see thatSunday-school feller come out o' the door a pickin' his teeth. He wasright in front of me, and at first he seemed not to see me, and washurryin' off dretful fast, but I caught on to his arm and says, quick-like: "Look here; I want to tell you somethin' fer your own goodand to swap favers. " Then he sort of slowed up, and axed me to pardinhim--he was in haste, an' gettin' orful anxious about them boys. ThenI says right out, "My friend, I'm anxious too, and you've got cause tobe: you an' me's been swindled;" and then he most jumped, and asked, "How swindled?" "Hev you broke one of them two-dollar bills yit?" saysI. "No, " says he; an' then I up an' told him the hull story. '

'Did you tell him you were coming here?' I asked, as he paused amoment. 

'No, because he got so excited and talked so fast; I declare, he putit all out of my head. '

Again he stopped, as if loth to continue, but again Mrs. Camp took upthe parable. 

'Now, father, yer may jest as well out with it! Ye see, this chap flewall to pieces, so to speak, an' he was goin' to have a officer rightaway. He had a letter of interducshun from his minister to home to thecapt'in of the Columbine perleece--they was related somehow--and hewould jest have them men arrested; an' then he happened ter think that'twas gittin' late and time a'most for that train with themSunday-school children to come, and it put him out awfully; but hesaid that he'd make it his bizness to see to that, and then he made a'p'intment with Camp to meet him at half-past ten ter-day, an' they'dgo tergether ter see the Columbine perleeceman. ' She paused, anduttered a cackling laugh. 'Wal, ' she concluded, 'Camp see that 'twasgittin' purty late, so he 'greed to it; an' I didn't say nothin', butarter he'd gone ter meet them boys ag'in I put my foot down ter comehere fust, an' not to wait till mebbe the feller'd git away, andfinally Camp reckoned 'twould be best, and so we came. Someway thatfeller sort o' went ag'in' me, to'rds the last. I don't want to behasty ag'in, but I sort o' feel as if he might be kind o' tricky, 'swell's the rest. '

It did not take us long to convince the Camps that they had been dupedall round, and while we had little faith in their ever seeing the'Sunday-school feller' again, we obtained their promise to keep theirappointment with him; and here Dave Brainerd suddenly muttered anexcuse to the two officers, and said in my ear, 'If I am not back infifteen minutes meet me at the Administration at four sharp. ' And witha nod to the Camps he went hastily out. I felt very sure of hiserrand. He had fancied, like myself, that 'Smug, ' fearing lest theCamps might prove too clever for his wiles--perhaps suspecting thekeen-eyed old woman--had followed them in order to assure himselfwhether it would be safe to keep his latest appointment with them, andthis indeed proved to be the case. 

Before the Camps left the place we had easily convinced them thattheir 'Sunday-school friend' and not I, had been the 'confidenceman, ' and that if he kept this last appointment with them it wouldonly be to lure them into another trap, and a worse one, for it wouldhave for its aim the suppression of any and all evidence they mighthave been inclined to give to the 'perleece. '

In convincing the gentle old man, and shattering his faith in myfriend Smug, I could see that we had dealt his simple, kindly nature areal blow, but Mother Camp was of sterner stuff. 

'You needn't worrit about me, not now, ' she assured me, with avigorous nod. 'After gitten' into one trap I ain't a-goin' to tumbleinto any more, an' I ain't goin' ter let him, neither, not when I'm onhand. I've told that man, more times 'n I've got fingers an' toes, that he was too soft-hearted; allus feedin' tramps 'n' stray dawgs, an' swallerin' all the beggars' yarns. '

'I guess ye needn't worrit, M'riar, ' the old man said, with a faintshow of spirit. 'Things might 'a' been worst. I didn't aim tersquander a hundred dollars to one lick, but I've got'n nuff left yitter see the Fair an' git home on, so I guess we may as well bea-seein' it; a body hes to live, live an' larn. '

And with this sentiment the pair took their departure, a little thewiser, and more wary, perhaps, for the words of warning and advicegiven them by the officer in charge, who had taken their names andaddress, and made a memorandum of their 'complaint. '

He had smiled slightly when told their street and number, and hadremarked that at least Stony Island Avenue had the merit of nearness, adding the friendly caution, 'Don't make boarding-house acquaintances, good people, and keep on the bright side of the way in going homelate. ' Whereupon I made a mental note to investigate this samehardly-named avenue. 

Long before the end of the Fair I had cause to thank myself for thismental note, and that it was held in remembrance. 

Brainerd did not appear at the stipulated time, and I was too eager tobe out in full sight of that wonder city to remain at the bureau; sotaking the Intramural Railway at the nearest station I began to circlein and out among those marvels of genius, skill, and nineteenthcentury enterprise which, combined, had placed, in a time so short asto seem a miracle, this city of beauty beside the blue Lake Michigan. 

And now I began to ask myself why the visitor who had nothing to dobut to see this wonder of wonders, and had no need to keep one eyeupon the passing faces, did not see it, at least until it grewfamiliar from that point of view, from a seat in an Intramural. 

What a kaleidoscopic panorama! In taking my place I had not evennoticed the direction in which I was moving. I had been seeing such amarvel of glimpses, domes, roofs, the lagoon in the distance, aflashing glimpse of the lake through glittering, airy turrets, trees, statues, flags--beauty and charm everywhere. I had taken a round-tripticket, and I whirled on and on, until somehow I saw the great glassdome of the Horticultural Building, and a moment later a fleeting viewof Midway recalled to my mind my own personality and interests. As Igazed at it, stretching away westward, a veritable Joseph's coat of astreet, it was gone, and I saw the tall dome of Illinois, the ArtGallery in the distance, with the lagoon again gleaming through trees, to be lost again, while roofs, windows, vistas of streets surroundedme, and I could peep in at the windows we were passing; and then Iheard the cry of the guard, and noted the name as we slacked speed atMount Vernon Station, almost upon the roof of the Old VirginiaBuilding. I peered out as we drew up to this station in the air, anddrew back a little as a second train, moving in the oppositedirection, dashed by. I am in the rear car, and as we move away fromMount Vernon, suddenly I have a vision of someone who must have flunghimself from the forward car at the last moment, and who is runningalong the platform, and in the direction of the passing train, inbreathless haste, his head bare, his hat clutched in his swinginghand. 

It is Dave Brainerd, and as we tear around a curve and he is lost tomy sight, I am brought back to thoughts of business. Dave hasevidently 'struck a trail. ' Wondering much, I stop at the north loop, and standing with the Government Building to my right and theFisheries with its curving colonnades on my left, I gaze off upon theblue and shining waters of the lake, and realize fully for the firsttime the awful incongruity between all this stateliness and beauty andour mission in its midst--a criminal hunt!

CHAPTER VII. 

'IT WAS GREENBACK BOB. '

Our chief had arranged for us, and in advance of our arrival, that ourletters should be received at the bureau, where a desk was always atour disposal; and a little before four o'clock I dropped in once moreto look for letters and ask if Dave had made a second appearance. Theletters were in waiting for both of us, but there was no news of Dave, and, stowing the letters in my pocket, I sought once more the Court ofHonour; seating myself near the great MacMonnies Fountain, in theshade of the Administration Building, where Dave could not fail tofind me, to read my letters and wait for him. 

I was in no haste, with that magnificent court spread out before me, and the blue dancing waves of Lake Michigan in the distance, Nature'sbackground for the great Peristyle, surmounted by that novel andbeautiful Columbus quadriga, in itself a work of art such as is seldomseen, and with golden Justice, dominant and serene, commanding andoverlooking all. 

Forgetting my letters, I let my eyes wander slowly from point to pointof beauty, letting the moments pass unheeded. 

'Fine figure of a woman, eh?'

I started, and came suddenly down to earth, at the sound of one of myfriend's characteristic speeches. He was standing beside me, asimperturbable of countenance as usual, but looking somewhat blown; andhe dropped upon the bench, and stretched his legs, and pulled off hishat, like a weary man who means to enjoy a little well-earned rest. 

I knew him too well to display any curiosity, and I merely sorted outfrom the bundle of letters still unopened in my hand those bearing hisname, and laid them upon his knee, and with merely a nod and smile, byway of greeting, addressed myself to my own. 

The first was a brief business document; the next a schoolboy'sletter, short, of course, from a young brother, my sole living tie andcharge. The third was from our chief, and I saw, upon opening it, thatit was addressed, within, to both of us. 

'Dave, ' I ventured, 'may I interrupt?'

'You can't, ' he replied. 'I've done. They're of no consequence, ' andhe thrust the two missives I had given him into his loose side-pocket. 'Blaze away, boy. '

The letter was not long, and, after some minor instructions and somesuggestions, came this passage:

'"I wonder if either of you remembers the case of the Englishman whowrote us at much length some six months ago concerning his son, 'lostor missing'--we did not succeed in finding him in New York----"'

'And small wonder, ' chuckled Dave, whose memory was a storehouse. 'Wehadn't even the skeleton of a description. '

'"In New York, you remember, "' I read on, '"and it has seemed to methat you may as well look out for him in your intervals of leisure, ifthere are such. "'

'Old man's growing sarcastic, ' grumbled my friend. 

'"It's a good thing, if successful, "' I continued; '"and the Fair isthe best place in the world for a 'hide out. ' If the young fellow'sabove-ground I'll wager something he's in Chicago now; that is, if hereally did come to America a year ago, as his fond father (?) writes. I enclose for your further information his letter; and I would beproud of the fact if you two fellows could unearth him at theColumbian City. I give you _carte blanche_ for the case. "'

'Umph! That means roll up your sleeves and go in. '

I took up the copy of the Englishman's letter. 'Shall I read it?' Iasked, 'or is it----'

'Don't say "engraven on your memory, "' implored Dave. 'Yes--go ahead. '

 '"DUNDALK HOUSE, '"_January 3, 1893_. 

 '"MESSRS. ----. 

 '"GENTLEMEN, --On November 6th, in the year 1892, Carroll L. Rae, Esq. , of Dundalk House, left his home, ostensibly for a few days in London. He was never seen again at Dundalk, and we have been accurately informed that he sailed for America in that same month. Being of age, he drew from his bankers while in London one thousand pounds, the full amount deposited to his credit; since that time no trace of him has been found. 

 '"Carroll L. Rae is twenty-six years of age, and tall, lacking one-half inch of being six feet in height. He is slender, broad-shouldered, upright; fair skin, blue eyes, brown hair; features regular and refined; hair worn very short, but inclined to curl close to skull; strong in athletic sports; a graduate of Queen's College; has small, aristocratic feet and hands; a skilled horseman; sings a fine and unusually high tenor; has a singularly strong control over all animals. We have no portrait of him since childhood. Has strong leaning toward military life and somewhat literary tendencies. Am prepared to send blank cheque for the payment of expenses of thorough search, and add as reward when found two thousand pounds. Address all correspondence to

 '"SIR HUGO RAE, '"Dundalk House, Egham, '"Surrey. "'

'Umph!' broke out Brainerd, when I had read the last word. 'Typicalold English paterfamilias! Tyrannical, I'll be bound. I'll betsomething the young fellow ran away from parental tyranny. How did thething come out at the first attempt? I don't seem to recall it. '

'And for a good reason. You were in Canada, and I was occupied withthat Rockville murder. I think they put Sturgis on the case. Englishhimself, you know. '

'Yes--well?'

'Well, as nearly as I remember, Sturgis advertised, to begin, "something to his advantage, " etc. '

'Of course!' contemptuously. 

'This failed, and he made the tour of the hotels, swell places first, then going down in the scale, hunted the registers; haunted the placesmost affected by the English tourist; halted good-looking, orEnglish-looking, blond young men until they turned on him. In fact, tried all the dodges--and failed. '

'Of course! It's one thing to find a person who has been hidden, andquite another to search for one who hides himself. What do you thinkhas set the chief to looking this lost son up here, and through us?'

'Why, you know his ways--he seldom stops to explain; but I fancy hemay have heard again from Sir Hugo Rae. '

I took up the two sheets, and was about to thrust them into theirenvelope, when Brainerd suddenly said:

'Hold on, boy! there's something written across the back of thatcopied letter. '

I turned it over and read the half-dozen lines written thereon:

'"Carroll Rae, if found, is to be told at once that his brother, SirHugo, is dead. "'

'Oh!' ejaculated Brainerd; 'so it's not his father. Well, that altersthings. We may be able to find a Sir Carroll Rae, especially as hemust have about exhausted that thousand pounds if he has been doingthe States in true English style. '

'At any rate, ' I added, 'it's on our books. I suppose one may keep aneye out for a swell young Englishman here as well as elsewhere. It'sonly one more face in the crowd. '

'And that reminds me, ' said my friend. 'This business almost put itout of my head. I took a turn on that Intramural road this afternoon. '

'Yes?' I knew better than to interrupt at this point. 

'And I saw, I am sure I saw--whom do you think?'

'Dave, that's like a woman! I'm surprised at you. You saw Delbras. '

'Wrong! I saw, I'm certain of it, Greenback Bob. '

'Good!'

'He was dressed very swell--you might have mistaken him for one of theboard of directors; but it was Bob. '

'And you piped him home, of course?' I queried. 

'Of course I didn't. He was going one way, and I the other, each on anIntramural car. '

'Oh! and you were running to stop the car, and Bob, when I saw you atMount Vernon Station, ' I said wickedly; 'did you overtake it?'

'I did--just. '

'And Bob?' eagerly. 

'Well, ' with a grin, 'I'm sorry to disappoint you, but when I jumpedon board, at the last moment, I found that Bob had got off while I goton. In fact, I saw him going downstairs as I was borne away toFifty-seventh Street. There, boy, don't look so mournful; it's all inthe game. I couldn't find a trace of him; but we know he's here. '

 * * * * *

I had decided on the night of my arrival, after pondering late theadventure of the black bag, or, as I now described it to myself, MissJenrys' bag, upon my course of action concerning it. 

In her letter to her friend she had mentioned the entrance atFifty-seventh Street as being near their place of abode, and I hadpromised myself that I would be early at that gate to watch for thecoming of Miss Jenrys, and to restore her property--what else?

But I had not counted upon a diamond robbery at the very beginning ofmy World's Fair adventures, and as I wished to go unaccompanied, I didnot attempt to stand guard at evening. 

But the second morning saw me at an early hour alone, and so near thegate at Fifty-seventh Street that I could in no possible way miss thelady should she appear. 

I had not needed to avoid Dave. He had been prompt to tell me that hemeant to put in the day looking for Greenback Bob, and that he should'do his looking' upon Midway. 

'And why Midway?' I had asked him. 

'Because, if there's a place that is better than all other places inwhich to hide one's self, that place is the Midway. '

It was quite true; and as I made my way toward the northern entrance, I turned over in my mind an idea suggested, or revived, by Dave's lastwords. 

As I passed toward the entrance between the unique little house ofSouth Dakota on one side and hospitable and home-like Nebraska StateBuilding on the other, my gaze was caught by the restfulness and charmof the western façade of the latter, with its broad portico and thelittle lawn lying between the broad steps facing the western boundaryof the grounds, the little stream flowing under overhanging trees ofnature's own planting, and past the little natural arbour of climbingvines draping themselves among the branches, making shade and coolnessfor the groups loitering underneath upon the rustic seats scatteredfreely and inviting all. 

While I gazed, a voice close behind me said, in a wheedling drawl:

'Dew come in! You never saw sech a place! Why, upstairs beats this allout of sight. Sech parlours, with velvet chairs, and sofys, and apianer; I tell ye Nebrasky beats some o' them stuck-up EasternStates!'

I turned, to see a fat, rosy-faced and eager woman, in the defiantbonnet I have learned to know as from 'out west, ' piloting a lean andreluctant woman, quite as typical as a rural New Englander, throughthe gate of the inclosure; and, prompted doubtless by the words I hadjust heard, I took another and more extended survey of the building sojustly extolled, this time lifting my eyes to the upper window and thebalcony overhanging the stream. 

Was it a mere passing resemblance, or a fancied one, or was the face Isaw for just an instant at one of those upper windows the face of thelittle brunette adventuress who had laid claim to Miss Jenrys' bag? Ifso, she had been scanning the increasing crowd through an opera-glass, and had dropped this in seeming haste, and vanished, before I couldprolong my glance. 

'It's hardly likely, ' I said to myself, and turned toward the bridgespanning the little stream, and lying between me and the entrance Isought. 

As I stepped upon the bridge I saw, on the other side, just coming outfrom the shadow of the elevated tracks above the entrance, the litheform and rare blond face, not to be mistaken anywhere, with its fineclear contour, its dark eyes, and fine healthful pallor. 

She came forward leisurely, and stopped by the railing at the edge ofthe platform to look down at the white-hooded Laplander who constantlypaddled up and down in the little stream, between the bridge and theLapland Village behind the inclosure, a few rods to the north. 

Just then there was a cry from beyond the gates, followed by therat-tat-tat of a drum, and one of those perpetually arriving'processions' came filing down the platform and across the bridge. Iwas in no haste to accost Miss Jenrys at the very entrance, andpossibly in the face of one or more of my ever-present brethren of thewatchful eye, and so, while she waited unhurried upon one side of thebridge, I stopped also, looking down upon the little stream andfeigning interest in the white-robed canoeist paddling, and doubtlessperspiring, in the mild June air. The procession was not a long one, and was formed of boys, half-grown, and wholly effervescent, wearingwhat was evidently an extemporized uniform, and carrying a bannerwhich informed me that it was a boys' school, sent from an outlyingtown through the liberality of an 'Honorable' somebody whose name Idid not hear; for the fact of the sending was not emblazoned upon thered-silk banner they carried, but was announced, often and willingly, in reply to numerous queries all along the line. 

They were a healthy and wholesome lot of fellows, and while I gazed atthem, not without a feeling of interest in and sympathy with theirday's pleasure, a little figure flitted past me, through the tiniestof spaces between the marching lads and myself, pressed close againstthe rail, and I saw again the little brunette hastening toward theplatform at the gate. Wondering a little, I kept my post. 

There was the usual rabble of all sorts and conditions swelling theranks in the rear, and when these had crowded across the bridge, therewas another throng of more leisurely moving visitors. But Miss Jenryswas not in this throng; and when they had passed and the stream oftravel had somewhat thinned I moved forward, only a few steps, however, for just beyond me, advancing slowly, with a smile upon herlips, and her eyes turned toward a companion, came Miss Jenrys. 

She had entered the grounds alone--of that I had been ocularlyconvinced; and that she should find a companion so soon had neverentered my thoughts. 

But she had a companion, and I almost gnashed my teeth as I sawtripping along at her side the little brunette. 

She was talking volubly, in the low, quiet manner that I knew, and ifshe saw me in passing she disguised the fact skilfully. 

I waited until they were a few paces ahead, and then followed themslowly, chewing the cud of bitter reflection. 

Could it be that I was losing my skill in reading and judgingfaces--I, upon whom the men of our force relied for a rapid, andusually correct, guess at a strange face? Was I mistaken in thislittle brunette, then? Or had I been mistaken in my judgment of MissJenrys?

No, never! I had set her down at once for a lady, in the sweetold-fashioned meaning of the word--womanly, refined, good and true;and had not her letters confirmed this? But this dark-haired, quick-speaking little person by her side--was she, after all, afriend? And had I committed a _faux pas_ in refusing to deliver up thelittle bag? And if so, had I the courage to approach these two andcommit myself? Could I tell Miss Jenrys how, failing to think of abetter way of finding her, I had read her letters? I had meant, ofcourse, to do this; but could I, with those pert, mocking eyes uponme? No; in my heart I knew that it was not that which vexed me. CouldI bear the scrutiny of those clear, straightforward brown eyes in thatother presence, which would put me at so sore a disadvantage?

Then I shook myself and my senses together. After all she came alone. Might they not separate soon? How could I tell that there was not afriend, several friends perhaps, waiting for that troublesome brunetteback in the Nebraska Building?

They were walking straight down the street toward the lake, with a rowof State buildings upon one side and the great spreading Art Galleryon the other. It was a perfect June morning, and the sight of the bluelake at the end of that splendid promenade, and the fresh breezeblowing off it, were inspiriting. There was to be some State functionthat day, and the crowd was thickening. Made bold by numbers, I cameclose behind them. Miss Jenrys had unfurled a big blue umbrella, andthe two walked in the shade of it; and in order to screen myself, inpart at least, should the brunette, whom I was beginning to detestheartily, turn and look suddenly back, I shook out the closely-rolledfolds of my own umbrella and poised it carefully between my face andthe sun. 

And now, made bold by my canopy, and frankly bent upon hearing what Icould, I drew daringly near, and when they stopped and stood to gazeat the ornate New York State Building, I halted also. 

'By no means, ' I heard the soft voice of the lovely blonde say, as shemoved back a pace to look up at the façade. 'That would be quite tooenterprising. I am chaperoned by my aunt, who is not so good asight-seer as myself, and for two days I have ventured----' Here thesharp call of some hurrying chair-boys drowned her words, and I nextheard the brunette's voice. 

'Things do happen so strangely'--it was impossible to catch all of herwords--'mamma is sick so often--and papa--I do dislike being alone, though--in the Art Gallery--acquaintances. That is all--I do wish----'

They moved on, Miss Jenrys increasing her speed perceptibly, andseeking, it seemed to me, to walk a little aloof from her companion, which caused me to wonder if she could be expecting or hoping to meetanyone. I was no longer able to hear their conversation, but theyagain paused and gazed long at the fine colonial building of the Stateof Massachusetts. 

I had hardly looked to see Miss Jenrys enter the placid New Yorkhalls, but when she turned away from Massachusetts without entering orso much as climbing the terrace steps, I wondered; and then, as thepair turned away, and after a moment of seeming hesitation moved ontoward the lake, a man, tall and well dressed, passed me so closelyand at such a rapid pace as to attract my attention to himself. Hewalked well, with a quick, swinging stride, and I think I never saw aman's clothes fit better. His hands were gloved, and in one of them hecarried a natty umbrella, using it as a cane. I had not seen his face, for he turned it neither to right nor left; and his splendid disregardfor the beauties all about him was explained when I saw him haltbeside Miss Jenrys and hold out a hand with the assured air of an oldfriend. I was near enough to see the smile on her face when she turnedto greet him, but the few quick words they exchanged were of courseunheard. Then I saw her turn toward the brunette on the other side;but that brisk little person had already drawn back, and now she saida word or two, nodded airily, and, turning, went quickly away. 

A moment later Miss Jenrys and her companion turned about and wenttoward the Massachusetts Building, and I saw his face. It was dark andhandsome; and as they mounted the terrace side by side I pressedboldly forward, under the shadow of my umbrella, and thanking my luckystars that I had it with me, and that--because it was on the cardsthat at ten o'clock I was to go to the rendezvous where Farmer Campwas to meet, or await, Mr. Smug, for he knew him by no other name--Iwas lightly but sufficiently disguised in a wig slightly sprinkledwith gray, and long about my neck and ears, and a very respectablelooking short and light set of moustaches and whiskers, the wholefinished with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses. 

Wearing these, I ventured so close that I heard, while toiling behindthem up the broad old-fashioned stairway, a few fragmentary words fromthe lips of Miss Jenrys, who seemed replying to some question. 

'I cannot, indeed--the best of reasons. My aunt is not here, Mr. Voisin. '

'Mr. Voisin!' I fell back and meditated. So this was the handsomeFrenchman, the rival of 'him'! I did not again attempt to overheartheir conversation, but I followed them about the building as theymoved slowly from room to room, and now I did not follow with my eyesupon the graceful and stately movements, the lovely profiles and turnsof the head, of the fair woman moving on before me, but I notedcarefully every gesture, every pose and turn, the gait, carriage, andas correctly as possible the height, weight, and length of limb ofMr. Maurice Voisin of France, and I felt that I was doing well. 

When at last they turned from the building, which neither had seemedin haste to leave, I looked at my watch, and knew that I had barelytime to reach the southern end of the grounds even aided by theIntramural. As I came out upon the street once more, and was passinghurriedly by the eastern portico of the New York Building, I chancedto lift my eyes toward it. The great curtains between the flutedcolumns were swaying in the breeze, and from between two, which sheseemed to be trying to hold together with unsteady hands, the face ofthe little brunette, dark and frowning, looked cautiously out. 

CHAPTER VIII. 

'STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER. '

When Farmer Camp had presented himself at the rendezvous after hisvisit to the bureau, he had found Smug awaiting him, but in companywith a muscular stranger, with whom he represented himself to haveimportant business; and after a few 'leading questions, ' which Campanswered quite naively, the two excused themselves, Smug making asecond appointment for the following day. 

Again the farmer was prompt, and this time Mrs. Camp also. I did notmake my presence known to them, and Smug did not appear, so I leftthem to digest this clear case of perfidy, while they viewed thewonders of the Transportation Building and the great golden doorway;and, believing, like Brainerd, that the Midway was a mine likely toyield us at least a clue, I turned my steps westward, my thoughts asingular medley, in which the Camps, Miss Jenrys, Delbras, GreenbackBob, the little brunette, and Monsieur Voisin were strangelyintermingled; and--I am obliged to admit it--the young fellow who hadaccosted me upon Midway, and avowed a knowledge of Miss Jenrys, wasalso in my thoughts. 

If it was true that he knew the owner of the black bag, why notquestion him--carelessly, of course? Perhaps--well, perhaps he knewMonsieur Voisin also. 

I could hardly have given myself a reason for this sudden anxiety, butit was there, and it sent me straight down Midway Plaisance, as nearlyin my former tracks as was possible. It was too late for breakfast, Iassured myself, and far too early for luncheon, ergo, if my friend theguard was still upon his beat, I must surely see him, sooner or later. 

And so it proved. As I emerged from the shadow of the viaduct, overwhich the Intramural rattled and rolled, I saw him, not far ahead andcoming toward me, his hands clasped behind him, his chin-strap down, his face absorbed, and seemingly oblivious of all about him. 

When we were but a few feet apart, he turned upon his heel and beganhis backward march, with the same air of indifference to all abouthim. 

As he neared the long low cottage opposite the village of the littleJavanese, and having 'Java or Home Restaurant' over its door in bigletters, and as I was nearing him, I saw him suddenly throw up hishead and spring forward. At the same moment I noted a man--hatless, coatless, and wearing upon his waistcoat the badge which indicated hisposition as 'head waiter'--come running from the direction of the HomeRestaurant, pointing as he ran, breathlessly, toward a man and womanwho were walking rather briskly eastward. 

As the guard came opposite this couple I saw him halt just aperceptible instant, his eye upon the hurrying waiter; then he steppedquickly before the coming couple and made a courteous but positivegesture, clearly an order to halt. The man did not halt, but brushedpast the polite guard with a scowling face. He was a big fellow, flashily dressed, and with a countenance at once coarse anddissipated; and as he made a second forward movement I coulddistinctly see his hand drop, with a significant gesture, toward hisright hip. 

'Stop him!' cried the almost breathless head-waiter. 'A beat. '

At the word the woman made a little forward spring, and the man made amovement to follow. 

'Halt!' commanded the guard, at the same time clapping a hand upon theman's shoulder, and then----

It was only the work of a moment. 

There was a quick movement on the man's part, and I saw the butt of abig revolver, and called out in warning: 'Take care!' I might havesaved my breath. The tall guard stood moveless until the weapon wasactually in sight, and then the arm in the blue coat shot out, strong, swift, straight from the shoulder, and the pistol-arm dropped, theweapon fell to the ground, and the man staggered back, to be receivedin the unwilling arms of the head-waiter, to struggle there for amoment, and then to submit, quite as much to the fire in the youngguard's eye as to the strength of his arm. The woman at the first signof struggle had drawn away from her companion, slipped into the crowdabout them, and was making off in haste, when I said, addressing thewaiter:

'Must she be stopped?'

The fellow shook his head. 'Let her go, ' he said; 'they were dodgingtheir breakfast-bill. '

It was the common trick of a common sharper. Having ordered and eatena late breakfast, they had called for something additional, and in theabsence of the waiter had left their places near the door and slippedaway. 

It was over in a moment. The man, forced into honesty by strengthsuperior to his own, sulkily paid the bill, while denying the claim, and then, like his companion, he slipped through the crowd and wassoon out of sight. 

Meantime, my friend the guard, with a look of disgust and wearinessupon his face, had turned away the moment his duty was done, and Ifollowed him, smiling a little over this reversal of our positions. 

'Well, ' I said, as I reached his side, 'I see there is good reason foryour ability to judge a "straight-from-the-shoulder" knock-out blow. '

He turned quickly, and with a shade of haughtiness upon his face, which was lost in a smile as he recognised me. 

'Ah, ' he said courteously, 'good-morning! So you witnessed thatpitiful affair. It does not fall to my lot to serve ladies. ' Hehesitated slightly, and then asked, 'Did you deliver up your find?'

I laughed and shook my head. I had fallen into step with him, and wewere now moving slowly along his beat. 

'If you refer to the lady with the dark eyes, who had the poor tasteto ignore your presence, ' I said, 'I did not. I may have committed ablunder, but my judgment condemned the little person. '

He turned toward me a quick look of interest. 

'Then you thought----' He stopped, and the red blood dyed his face ason that first day. 

'I thought, ' I instantly took up the word, 'that she was anadventuress, not a companion or friend to the owner of the littlebag. '

'And you were right, ' he exclaimed. 'The lady who--who dropped the bagyou found was alone when those foreign brutes with their palanquin ranagainst her. I was not near enough to reach her promptly; but Isaw--and the other--the brunette, it is a strange fancy, perhaps, butI have thought that she had been following Miss--the lady, though forwhat purpose----' He stopped. 'It is no affair of mine. I--I am gladthat the lady has her property. '

'But she has not got her property. '

'No? Pardon me, I did not understand. '

He had turned his face to the front, but I could see that he wasagitated, and was holding himself under with a strong hand. As Iwalked beside him and noted his fine physique, the well-set head andclear-cut features, I felt genuinely attracted toward the manlyfellow, and wondered what was the secret of his interest in thatlovely girl, whom he had yet shunned; for, looking back upon theevents of the previous day, I could see that he had purposely heldaloof from the moment when he saw that a champion and protector was athand. 

'I had thought, ' he said after a little, 'that is, I fancied theremight be something--some clue to her whereabouts in the bag. '

'It was not complete, ' I answered. 'When I could not overtake her, andthe brunette did not recommend herself to my confidence, I opened thebag, after some hesitation. '

'Yes?' The syllable was a direct and eager question. 

'I found nothing by way of identification save two letters, bothunsealed, and these, after some reluctance, I opened. '

'Ah!' A trifle stiffly. 

'The first was from a lady in Boston to a lady here at the World'sFair. '

'Indeed!' A freer tone, almost a sigh of relief. 

'This gave me so little information that I was obliged to open thesecond letter, which was written, I suppose, by the owner of the bag, and not as yet posted; even this did not give me her address. '

'How strange!'

We had reached the end of his beat, and now I turned with him, and wesauntered slowly toward the Ferris Wheel. I felt that he was worthyof a grain of comfort, if I were able to give it, and I said:

'It was like this. The letter from Boston was written on the eve of astart for this place. The other letter, if posted, would have passedthe lady for whom it was intended upon the road. This last letter, written supposedly by the owner of the bag, states that she, havingleft her New York home some time since, is now in the World's FairCity in company with an aunt, whom she describes as rustic, butdelightful, and that because they are stopping very near the Fair shefeels safe in coming alone on such days as her aunt elects to pass inthe quiet of her own apartment; and the only clue to an address is thestatement that she enters the grounds by the Fifty-seventh Streetgate. '

'Ah!' It is a sigh of genuine relief. At last he has a clue, if aslight one. But what does he want of a clue? Having gotten thus far, Irelate briefly my experience of this morning, omitting description andthe name of Monsieur Voisin, whom I describe as a tall dark-hairedgentleman, evidently a foreigner, and then I play my card. 

I am here upon business of an important nature; my time is limited; Ido not know the lady; and having committed the folly of holding backfirst because of the brunette, and last--well, because I had anespecial reason for not coming under the notice of this strangeman--in short, had I found the lady alone I should have returned herproperty; in the presence of a third party I did not wish to do so;and then I put my question. 

He had said that he knew this young lady, and, being here day afterday, he would be likely to see her again. She would be sure to revisitthe Midway; and what could be more easy than for him to return herlost property, explaining as he chose? It would relieve me much; itwould be to me a genuine favour. 

The guard was silent for a time; then he paused in his measured walkand turned to face me. 

'If I have not misunderstood, ' he said slowly, 'you set out thismorning for the purpose of restoring to the lady her lost property?'

'True. '

'And--do you mean to tell me that because of the presence of thisbrunette first, and then of the man, you gave up the idea?'

'Quite so. '

'I confess, ' he said, 'that I cannot understand why those peopleshould be a hindrance; nevertheless, I am ready to believe that yourreason is good and sufficient. '

'Thank you. '

'I trust, ' he hastened to add, 'that you will judge me as generouslywhen I say that I cannot oblige you. I know the name of the lady, itis true; but, much as I may desire to serve you, I cannot do so. Mydesire to avoid the lady, to remain unrecognised by her, is as strongas is yours to hold aloof from her escort. It's an odd position, ' headded, with a slow half-smile. 'I trust the contents of Miss--of thebag were not of too great value--not indispensable to her?'

'By no means--quite the contrary; and this being the case, we willtrouble ourselves no more about it. Of course I can't urge my requestunder the circumstances. ' I could not repress a smile at the absurdityof the situation. 'And to say that I don't bear malice, as they say inmaking up a quarrel, let us exchange cards. ' I produced my card, asimple pasteboard of the size known as the visiting-card, and withonly my name engraved across it. 

The guard drew back a step, and again that ready flush dyed his face. 

'Pardon me. You are addressing me as one gentleman to another, and ifI were to give you the name by which I am known here it would not bemy true one. I will not give you a fictitious name, and--I can give noother. '

I was silent a moment, then--'I will not urge you, ' I said; 'but atleast, as man and man, equals, we can shake bands. ' And I held out myown. 

His face cleared instantly, and he promptly placed his palm upon mine. 

'I can do that, ' he said, 'as man to man, as an equal, and'--he threwback his handsome head--'I shall never, I trust, have reason tohesitate before giving my hand as an honest man to an honest man; andnow----' He paused, and I with him. 

'And now, ' I supplemented, 'we are neither of us idlers. This is yourbeat?'

'For the present. '

'Then--I hope we shall meet again. Success to you. '

'And to you. ' He lifted his hat as I turned away, and looking back amoment after, I saw him once more a Columbian Guard on duty, pilotingan old woman across the street and away from a sprinkling-cart. 

'Handsome enough to be a prince, ' I thought. 'An American prince, andpoor, doubtless. Honest, I'll wager; and with a mystery. I wonder ifthe world is pouring all its mysteries into this White City of theworld. '

CHAPTER IX. 

IN DISGUISE. 

Two days had passed since my talk with my friend the guard, andalthough Brainerd, myself, and others had thoroughly searched MidwayPlaisance, hoping to obtain a glimpse of our quarry or a hint of theirpresence, we had been unsuccessful. We found many things in Midway, but neither Greenback Bob nor his friend Delbras. 

'I tell you, ' Dave had said on the previous night, when we werediscussing our failure and its probable reasons--'I tell you, Carl, these men began their business in Midway--I'm sure of it; and Isolemnly believe that you're the fellow that scared them away. '

'I, indeed--how?'

'Simply by springing upon them in that Camp affair. I believe theyspotted you. '

I felt chapfallen, for I was more than half inclined to believe thatDave's notion was the correct one, and I wondered that I had notthought of this myself. 

'And if they did, ' went on Dave, 'it would be the most natural thingin the world for them to "fold up their tents like the Arabs, " etc. Don't you think so?'

'Granting your first premises, ' I conceded grudgingly, 'your second, of course, are tenable. Perhaps you have an idea where their "tents"are now spread?'

'Oh, you always try the sarcastic dodge when you are beaten a bit, 'grinned Dave good-humouredly; 'but that's all right. I think we may aswell give the Midway a rest, at any rate. '

'I suppose you have noted that the Woman's Building has had more thanits share of stealing of late?' said I. 

''M--no. '

'Well, you should read the papers, and look in at the bureau, once aday at least. They've had an attack upon the exhibits--failed, Ibelieve--and a number of pockets picked. '

'Do you suggest the Woman's Building?'

'To-morrow I suggest the vicinity of the Court of Honour and theAdministration Building. It's the Princess Eulalia's day, youremember; or had you failed to note that?'

'Go on, boy; wound me where I'm weakest, ' scoffed Dave. 

But I chose to ignore Dave's chaff. 

'I suggest that we join the crowd early, and stay with it late. '

'Done!' cried he. 

'It's hard to tell where they will elect to work. There will be athinning out inside the buildings, but a crowd outside, and such acrowd as this will be--all with necks craned and attention fixed;ladies in gay attire, the cream of the city's visitors as well as theother side; and there will be at least half a dozen false cries of"There she comes!" and somebody's pocket will suffer at each cry. '

'Right you are!' agreed Dave. 'It'll be a swell crowd, and it's myopinion that our men will be in the thick of it. '

 * * * * *

Early the next morning I went to see if anything had been reportedconcerning the diamond robbery, for as yet little had beenaccomplished. There was one of the attendants, a young woman, whom Ihad felt uncertain about. She was pretty, and I thought artful andvain; and I had learned from another employé of the Lausch Pavilionthat she had formed the acquaintance of a rather flashily dressedperson wearing much jewellery, and that just before the robbery shehad been seen to receive two or three slyly-delivered _billets-doux_. The girl was being closely watched, and one of the guards, who wasstationed near, and who was said to have been seen loitering near thepavilion oftener and longer than was needful, was likewise under closesurveillance. 

But this morning there was something to report. It did not comethrough any of the men at work upon the case, nor was it in the natureof a discovery. It was an anonymous letter, and it came through theUnited States mail, having been posted in Chicago, at the up-townpost-office. 

It was addressed 'To whom it may concern, ' at the bureau, and wasbrief and to the point. 

'If you do not want to waste time, ' the letter began, 'turn yourattention to the men in charge of the robbed jewellery exhibit; and ifyou also keep an eye upon a certain up-town man who keeps a placeadvertised as a "jewellery-store, " and with rather a shadyreputation--a man not above doing a little business in uncut gems, say, in a very quiet way--you may find some of the lost gems betweenthe two. '

There was no signature, and I saw at a glance that the writing wascarefully disguised. 

I was not inclined to treat this document seriously, though I couldsee that it had created quite a sensation at the office, and whenasked my opinion concerning it I said:

'If this letter means anything but to mislead, it can mean but one oftwo things; either it is written by one of the thieves to draw us awayfrom the right track, or it is written by someone who belongs to agang, and who means, if possible and safe, to sell out his comradesfor all he can get and a promise of safety. I've seen this done. '

'And what is your opinion?'

'I'm more than half inclined to think it is a hoax. '

'As how?'

'It may be the work of a crank or a practical joker, ' I replied; and Ithought it possible, though hardly probable. 

'If we had advertised this thing, ' said the officer slowly, 'I shouldthink little of this letter, but it has not been made public. '

'It is known, ' I reminded him, 'to some three hundred men here in thegrounds, and it has been told to--how many sellers of jewellery up inthe city, not to mention their employés? Half a dozen picked men havebeen detailed to work upon the case. I don't think it likely, butsome officer who covets a bit of special work might have thought itworth while to muddle the job for us; or some revengeful clerk up-townmay be trying to get even with some enemy. However, the thing can't beignored, and my advice would be, trace the letter to its author, ifpossible. '

There were no letters for us that morning, and I left the place soon, certain that the machinery of the bureau was quite equal to the taskof looking after the anonymous letter, which, after all, did notoccupy a large place in my mind. 

Since my talk with my mysterious guard, I had made next day anothereffort to see Miss Jenrys. I had waited at the gate at Fifty-seventhStreet for three long and precious morning hours, and then I hadturned away anathematizing myself, and vowing that hereafter I wouldattend to my own legitimate business, and not prowl about after anevasive beauty, who, no doubt, had already purchased a new bag andforgotten her loss. But in my heart I knew it was not to restore thebag alone that I so earnestly looked for Miss Jenrys. I had not fallenin love, not at all; but yet somehow I had a singular anxiety to seeagain the face of this sweet blonde, and to hear her mellow, musicalvoice, if only in the two words, 'Thank you. '

Even as I turned away after my long and fruitless waiting, I did notpromise myself to forget her, nor altogether to quit the chase. Ihypocritically said, 'Now I will trust a little to chance. ' How Davewould have laughed could he have known my thoughts!

 * * * * *

By nine o'clock that morning there were thousands of people throngingthe Court of Honour, drifting out and in under the arches of theAdministration Building, and up and down upon the streets on eitherside of it. Everywhere there was a look of expectancy, and noapparent desire to move on. 

As the morning advanced, and the active guards began to stretch ropesat either side of the entrance through which the procession wouldpass, the throng drew together from various directions and massedthemselves, as many of them as could drawing close to the ropeoutside; some with the narrow comfortless-looking red chairs seatingthemselves with the great rope actually resting upon their knees, tobe hemmed in and pressed upon at once by row after row of crowding, pushing humanity, while others swarmed boldly between the ropes andfilled the smooth gravelled space reserved for the honoured guests andthe city magnates attendant upon them. 

It was a good-humoured crowd, but it held its place until, from theentrance of the building, a line of guards in full uniform came slowlyout, while from the east a second company came forward, two by two, and these spreading into a line, single file, and facing about, unitedwith the others in forming an L, and thus slowly, quietly, but nonethe less surely, they advanced, while just as slowly and almost ascomposedly the crowd fell back, and outward, until the roped-in spacewas cleared, only to partially fill, and to be again cleared, once andagain. 

Brainerd and I had separated upon reaching the place, and I had notseen him since, although I had moved about from point to point almostceaselessly. 

As eleven o'clock approached the crowd began to grow restless, andquestions to be bandied about from one to another, while guards, asignorant for the most part as their questioners, were interviewedendlessly. 

'When is she coming?'

'Is she coming soon?'

'Are you sure she will come here?'

'Is it eleven o'clock?' etc. 

It was eleven o'clock when I drew out from the throng that had pressedwithin the ropes, only to be slowly driven out again, and passedthrough an aisle of fans and parasols, which had been opened and keptopen, the width of three men, shoulder to shoulder, by a constantpassing of its length; and I was skirting one side of the buildingslowly and with my eyes searching the crowd of faces, when I heard afamiliar voice near me speaking in impatient tones. 

'Law, pa, it's no use! I ain't a-goin' to set on that tottlin' thingone minit longer--not for all the infanties in Ameriky! What more's afurrin infanty than a home-born one, anyhow?' There was a stir nextthe rope and a break in the wall of humanity about it, and then Mrs. Camp emerged, her bonnet very much awry, and her husband bringing upthe rear, puffing and worried, with a little red chair hanging fromone shoulder and the faded umbrella clutched in one hand. 

They saw me at the same moment. 

'Wal, ' began the lady, 'I'm glad I ain't the only simpleton in theworld! If here you ain't! I can't get over thinkin' what a ridickerlusthing it is fur half of Ameriky, a'most, to turn out jest to see ababy that's brought acrost from where Columbus used to live! Jest asif a Spanish baby was a-goin' to enjoy sech a crowd as this! Onething's certain, I ain't goin' to wait; if the pore leetle creetur ishalf as tired's I be, it'll want a nap fust thing! Come on, pa!'

A shout of laughter drowned her last words, and after explaining toMr. Camp that I was 'looking for a friend, ' I got away from the absurdold woman, who, with her husband at her heels, was marching toward thelake--'Where there was enough water, maybe, to make a ripple and whereone wouldn't get stepped on if one happened to tumble down. '

As I found myself upon the outskirts of the crowd, someone set up acry of 'There she comes!' and there was a movement toward the west endof the Administration Building. 

Two or three carriages had drawn up inside the roped-in space, andseveral smiling gentlemen with _boutonnières_ upon their immaculatecoats stood in waiting near. I turned the corner to the north, wherethe crowd was less dense, and had begun to deliberate upon the wisdomof moving on, when, straight across my path, half running andevidently in pursuit of some one, I saw the little brunette. I hadmade a quick step in pursuit, when a gloved hand was thrust out beforeme. 'Stand back!' was the order. There was a rush from the south end, a sudden prancing of hoofs upon the gravel, and a carriage drawn byfour fine bay horses came into view around the corner of the MinesBuilding. 

'Here she comes!' is again the cry. I am pressed back against thewall, and close beside me the soft-rolling carriage is drawn up; agentleman alights, and, waving aside the obsequious footman, assists alady to descend. In a moment they are gone, swallowed up by the bigarched entrance, and a murmur runs through the crowd. If not the'infanty, ' they have seen one as fair and as gracious, the first ladyof the White City, the able and beloved president of the Woman'sBoard. 

When she has passed within I replace my uplifted hat and seek anegress through the crowd, past the restive four-in-hand and down thestreet which leads to Wooded Island, in pursuit of the littlebrunette, who had vanished in that direction. And now there seemed abreaking up of the crowd, strains of music could be heard in thedistance, and rumours of an approaching parade are rife. WoodedIsland, at the south end, seems quite alive with moving forms; and Isaunter over the first bridge, cross the tiny island of the hunters'camp and Australian squatters' hut, cross a second picturesquebridge, and begin to examine the faces moving about theflower-bordered paths, thronging the rhododendron exhibit, and restingupon the scattered benches. 

I pass some time in this way, and have turned my face toward themainland once more, when a burst of music, near at hand, draws my eyesto the opposite bank, where, between the west façade of the greatManufactures Building and the lagoon, the 'wild riders' led by BuffaloBill, prince of show-men, are defiling past, with their fine horsescurvetting and restless under their gorgeous trappings and the weightof their fantastic and variously costumed riders; their banners arefluttering and their weapons glisten in the breeze and the sunshine. 

There is a grand rush toward the two bridges, and as I hasten on withthe rest I catch a glimpse once more, as she comes down a side-path, of the elusive brunette. 

She is close in the wake of two women, who are running hand in hand, and I hasten to place myself as near her as possible, but discreetlyin the rear. 

And now, from the opposite side of the lagoon, we hear another burstof music and a cry, 'The princess! the princess!' We cross the firstbridge and dash upon the next, which, being high and arched in thecentre, is at once filled with spectators, while the more venturesomehurry over and line the banks of the lagoon and the sides of the twoopposite roads, by which, from the east and west, the two cavalcadeswill approach--that of the 'Wild West' coming from the east, filingpast the north end of the Electricity Building, and turning oppositethe bridge to file southward, straight down from our coigne of vantageto the entrance to the Administration Building opposite us. 

I had followed the brunette closely, and when she arrived at the endof the bridge, where the head of the 'Wild West' column was justturning southward, the crowd upon the sloping south end was dense, andsome hardy spirits were scaling the five-foot pedestals of the greatdeer upon either side. 

Upon these pedestals, straight-sided and square, there was'standing-room at the top, ' as some wag observed, and I pressedforward, meaning to mount with the aid of the iron handrail; as Ireached the pedestal on the left, near which the brunette had haltedbeside the two women before mentioned, and who I began to think werein her company, the wag at the top bent down and put out an invitinghand. 

'Help you up, ladies; good view up here, and nobody to make us getdown in this crowd. It's quite easy; just step on that rail. '

One of the two women stepped forward, put out her hand, paused, measured the distance with her eye, put a foot upon the rail, anduttered a little squeak. 

'O-w! I ca-an't, pos-sibly!'

Without a word the little brunette, at least six inches shorter, stepped forward, put out her hand, set one foot upon the rail, andwent to the top of the big block with an agility that was amazing in awoman. 

As for me, I had been quite near her, and it almost took away mybreath. 

I kept my eyes upon her like one fascinated, until the beautifulprincess, preceded by the white-plumed hussars and escorted by themayor and city council, came from the west, and passed us so closethat her charming face, aglow with smiles and bright looks ofinterest, was distinctly seen and roundly cheered. 

We watched her drive slowly down the avenue formed by open ranks ofher escort, and then the crowd was ready to follow her and surroundthe Administration Building, watching wondering--an American throngattendant upon, and admiring, not royalty alone, but royalty, beauty, and gracious womanhood combined in one charming whole. 

When the cheer which announced the infanta's descent from her carriagehad died away, I turned to see what my brunette, safely bestowed uponher pedestal, would elect to do next. 

I was soon enlightened, for she turned at the first movement of thecrowd about her, and, seating herself upon the edge of the pedestal, dropped lightly to the ground and walked briskly away. 

I followed, of course, determined not to be easily left behind again;and as I went, my mind was occupied with an entirely new thought. Ihad made a discovery, and it might be an important one. I had foundthat the brunette, like myself, was in disguise. 

CHAPTER X. 

CARL MASTERS. 

When Brainerd and I compared notes that night, we came to the mutualconclusion that the Camps were ordained to mingle their destiny withours in some measure, we chanced upon them so often; and they seemed, since our encounter at the bureau, to take it for granted that we wereto continue the acquaintance, now set, in their opinion, upon anofficial basis, and that it would be a mutual pleasure. 

After leaving me, or, rather, after I had separated myself from themat the Administration Building, they had wandered down the Grand Plazaand made their way to the Peristyle, where, after some time, they hadencountered Brainerd; and in the course of their amiable converse theyhad given him some valuable information, or so he thought it. 

'You see, ' he said, 'to begin at the beginning, I had mingled all themorning with crowds here and there, and as it was nearing noon Iwandered across the Plaza and came to that handsome bridge spanningthe canal at the north-west corner of the Liberal Arts. As I crossedthis bridge I saw a launch slip out from the landing at the furtherend, and in that launch two men, one of whom I was sure was GreenbackBob, and the other, from your description, I'll wager was your friendSmug. '

'Are you sure?' I demanded. 

'Morally certain, yes. Well, as you may guess, I scurried across thelittle bridge and jumped into the next launch, for they were not easyto follow by the land route, with always the chance that they might goashore on the wrong side of the lagoon. Well, I kept them in sightuntil we had made the round of the basin, and they made no offer toland, although the launch filled and emptied before we were back atthe bridge from which we started. As we passed under the bridge myheart was in my mouth, for the boat was out of sight for some moments, but when we shot out into the sunlight there they were, not so farahead of us, and about to run underneath the bridge at the end of thesouth canal. I wondered a little at their going away from the crowdjust then, but that was their affair, so I just shifted my position inorder to keep a better watch upon their boat as we came abreast of thebridge, and then, as the mischief would have it, a launch coming fromthe other way pushed through and under the bridge and struck us such ablow that the women screamed, and one of them let her parasol fallinto the water. Then, of course, there was an exchange of complimentsbetween the two crews, and a scramble and delay in securing theparasol: and when at last we were out on the other side the boat aheadwas so far away from the landing, where she had of course made herstop, that I could just make out that the two men had left her andshe was almost empty. To add to my agony, two boats had passed uswhile we floundered after that parasol and exchanged compliments withthe other boat, and as we lay there waiting I looked wildly about me, and saw at last, on the bridge almost over my head, my two men, standing close by the railing and talking with a little dark woman, who----'

'Describe her!' I broke in. 

'Well, now----'

'Was she something under five feet?'

'Yes. '

'Dark eyes and hair?'

'Exact. '

'A broad black hat with plumes, a red veil, and four-in-hand tie?'

'Upon my word, she had 'em all. '

'I knew it; but go on. '

'I can't, not very far at least. I just kept myself from swearingwhile I sat and saw those three so sociable up there, and I not in it. Before I got to the landing I had seen the woman trip away. '

'Toward the Plaza?'

'Precisely. Everybody seemed going that way. It was almost time forthe infanta to appear. When I set foot on shore I made for thatbridge. I had seen them start slowly on after the woman; but when Igot upon the bridge I could just see the hat of your friend Smug in ajam some distance ahead, near the Electricity Building, and Bob, theeel, had vanished once more. '

'At what time was this?'

He named the time, and then I told him how I had encountered thelittle brunette, lost her, and found her again, and of her agile leapat the bridge. 

'Lively girl!' Dave commented. I had told him the story of heragility with some _empressement_, but he did not seem to see my drift. 'You're sure it's the same who tried to claim the young woman's bag?'

'Quite sure--from your description. '

'Umph! Mine? And she's the one who met the lady at the gate, and lefther when the man appeared?'

'The same. '

'Um-m! She tries to secure the young lady's bag; she meets her asthough by appointment; and she meets our quarry, too. She seems toknow them all. Query: Does she, by any chance, know--well, say you?Who is she? What is she?'

'Who she is I don't know, what she is I can tell you, ' said I. 

'Well?'

'She, as we have called her, is a man. '

I had nothing to add to this, and Dave was not willing to accept mystatement, based as it was upon that leap at the bridge. 'No womanever made that jump; I knew it. It showed practice, and that not ofthe sort that is taken by women. ' This had been my argument, and aftersome discussion and difference of opinions Dave got back to the Camps. 

He had met them wandering about the Peristyle, and gazing across thegrand basin at the splendid MacMonnies Fountain. 

'Which ort, ' Mrs. Camp had declared, 'to sail out, leastwise, the boatwith that white woman settin' up there on top, and come across toserlute that big gold goddiss. For my part, ' she added, 'I've seen onething that was as it ort to be. They took an' set a woman up in themidst of their court, and made her bigger and brighter and handsomerthan anything else. But if they was bent on calling her Justice, why, 'she opined, 'that there court ought to be called a court of justice. '

The two old people had evidently grown lonely and sated with grandeur, and when she had aired her views concerning the golden goddess, Mrs. Camp began to talk about our adventure with the counterfeiters. 

'That friend of yours was right, ' she said. 'That Sunday-school chapdidn't come to time; and we ain't seen him sence not to speak to. ' Andthen she related how, on coming away from their rooms on Stony IslandAvenue that morning, they had seen, just across the street from them, the man Smug in earnest conversation with a tall man whose back wasturned toward them, and who after a few words had turned and walkedaway southward, while Smug had entered a café close at hand, doubtlessto breakfast. 

Dave had questioned them closely, hoping to learn more; but beyond thefacts as first stated little was added. 

The men had met at a point 'a few squares' from the Camps''boarding-house'--possibly four or five. The man in conversation withSmug was tall, and very straight, 'sort of stiff like, ' and welldressed. They were quite sure, also, that he was dark, and that hewore a beard. Incidentally they gave Dave the number of their StonyIsland residence. 

'We shan't have much trouble to find the Camps, ' Dave said inconcluding his narration. 'The old lady has taken a great fancy forthe Liberal Arts Building, and she generally spends her time sittingupon a chair in the centre of Columbia Avenue and admiring at herleisure. She says she "'d ruther see things in the lump, sort of. " AndI believe they take a walk every morning around the Plaza, the Court, the Peristyle, and then up the lake shore from Victoria House, whichshe won't enter--because she "hates old England and all theEnglishers"--to the point where Fifty-seventh Street drops into LakeMichigan. And every afternoon, I verily believe, they walk arm-in-armup and down the length of Midway, without stopping or enteringanywhere. '

In our summing up we found we had accomplished very little legitimatebusiness. We had established the fact that Greenback Bob was at theFair, and the presumption was strong, amounting almost to a certainty, that Delbras was also there. We had connected the man Smug with one, if not both, for Dave was sure that the man's companion on StonyIsland Avenue was Delbras, and now this brunette, whom I believed tobe a man in woman's attire, seemed to be identifying herself, orhimself, with the 'gang. '

'If you can prove that the brunette's a man or boy, ' said Dave, 'thenI'll say don't look farther for the third party who came with Delbrasfrom France; and if that should prove the case, tell me, what designshave this gang upon Miss--what do you call her?'

I started. It was Dave who was growing imaginative now. And yet----

'I had only thought of the brunette as having seen the bag fall, andhoping for a find, ' I said doubtfully. 

'Then how did you account for her being at the entrance gate two daysafter?' queried Dave scornfully. 

'Supposing it to have been an accidental meeting, I fancied she mighthave thought of telling Miss Jenrys what she knew of her loss, hopingfor a reward, perhaps. '

'Carl, you are growing stupid! You have thought too much of the blondeand not enough of the brunette! Think! In the first instance both arealone; Miss J. Drops her bag; why does this particular--well, saywoman for the present--why does this woman see it? She must have beensome paces behind, or you would have seen her; or if not you, theguard, or even the young lady herself. That brunette was shadowingMiss J. '

I was silent before his arguments. I began to think I had beenone-sided in my thoughts of the two; and now how simple it all seemed!

'The girl, you say, was watching the gate through a glass, and from aprotected and safe point of view. She rushes to meet the young lady, perhaps introduces herself, perhaps is known, and she leaves her whenthe good-looking man appears. Carl, what use do you intend to make ofthat black bag?'

'Hitherto, ' I replied, 'it has been a side issue; now it seems to methat we may serve both its owner and ourselves by restoring the bag, and keeping an eye upon all concerned. '

 * * * * *

The next day I was early at the Fifty-seventh Street gate, and Iwaited long, but no Miss Jenrys came through; and after loitering nearuntil almost noon, I took a light luncheon at the nearest pointpossible, and at noon went back to my post. But if Miss Jenrys enteredthe grounds that day, it was through some other entrance. 

On the next morning she came at an early hour, her fair face radiantas the June weather, and beside her was a small-faced little woman whomight have seen forty years or sixty; except for her snowy hair, timeseemed to have forgotten her. Her dress was a near approach to theQuaker garb of the followers of Penn. Everything about her was ofsoftest gray; but the face, framed by the prim Quaker bonnet, was asfair as an infant's, and with a child's soft colouring in the cheeksthat had not yet lost the charming curves of young womanhood. Shelooked like a creature whom Life had loved so well that Time had notbeen permitted to touch or tarry near her, so gentle, and sweet, andgood. 

But there was no weakness in the placid, fair face, nor in the smooth, even step, neither swift nor slow, with which she moved on beside thefair young woman at her side. 

I had watched for this arrival while I sauntered about, now on oneside of the bridge, now on the other, and vibrating between thebuildings of Nebraska and South Dakota, on either side the broadpromenade beginning at the bridge. The west windows of both thesehospitable houses overlooked the little stream, proffering a welcometo the visitor at the very outset; and when the two ladies crossed thearching bridge on the side nearest the Nebraska Building I was notsurprised to see them halt, look for a moment upon the shady bit ofgreensward with the inviting rustic seats beneath the vine-drapedtrees close to the water's edge, and then enter. I was very near them, meaning this time to make a prompt and bold approach, and as I turnedto enter I heard the elder say:

'No, June, my child. Thee must let me go my way. ' She halted and laidher hand upon the girl's arm. 'I must take these beauties in slowly, else they will not take lodgment in my memory; besides, this place istoo tempting. '

They moved on towards the shaded seats, and I took from my pocket amap of the grounds, and, standing on the lowest step of the portico, affected to study it, while the talk went on. 

'Thee can go through this house while I look at the place and thepeople, child, and hear the music. Where is that music?'

'Oh, aunty! That horrid Esquimaux band! They've never happened to bein tune before when we came in, fortunately. '

'Fie, June! I'm sure it's very good. Now go. You know I care littlefor fine furnishings, but if there is anything that you think I shalllike to see, you may show it to me when you have seen your fill, and Imine. There, go, child! I am going to knit. '

The Quakeress took out her knitting, and her niece, uttering a softlaugh, and giving the shoulder of the other an affectionate pat, turned away, saying over her shoulder:

'You're a wilful auntie, and you shall have your way. I'll not belong, so look and listen your fill. '

This was the chance for which I had waited, and I took advantage of itby closing my map and following her into the building and up thestairs. 

I did not accost her at once, but waited until she had looked aboutthe larger room facing the south and west, where the case of minerals, the great deer, and other western treasures and trophies weredisplayed, and had sauntered about the cosy and tasteful parlours, looking at the pictures and bits of decorative work; and when she hadre-entered the big sunny south room again, and after a little moreloitering among the exhibits went to one of the windows and stoodlooking down into the street, I, who had been standing near anopposite window, was about to cross the room and accost her, when asudden shout from the street caused me to look out once more. 

My window faced the bridge, and I saw that a chair-boy, coming toohastily over the bridge with his freight, and perhaps unaccustomed tohis wheeled steed, had let slip his hold upon the handle at the backof the chair just as he had reached the downward slope of the bridge, and chair and occupant, a burly man looking quite able to walk, wentwhirling down the slope, charging into a couple of young men dressedin killing style and wearing big yellow _boutonnières_, andoverturning itself and all concerned. 

They were gathering themselves up in much disorder, and I could notresist a smile at the ludicrous scene; but the smile soon left my facewhen I saw, passing the scene of distress with rapid steps and withouta glance toward it, and coming straight toward the entrance below, thelittle brunette. 

With rapid steps I crossed to the opposite window, and, taking off myhat, bowed before the surprised and now somewhat haughty-lookingblonde. 

'Miss Jenrys?' I said interrogatively. 

She bowed assent. 

'May I speak with you a moment?'

She did not answer promptly, and I put my hand to my pocket and drewout my card--the same that I had proffered to the guard a few daysbefore. 

She took it and read the name aloud, and in a tone of polite inquiry:

'Carl Masters?'

CHAPTER XI. 

'I DISLIKE A MYSTERY. '

I had not meant to do it, but while I stood there with her clear browneyes, not repellent but fearless and full of dignity, fixed upon myface in polite but guarded inquiry, the determination suddenly seizedme to be as frank and truthful in dealing with this frank and truthfulwoman as I had a right to be. 

I had meant to return the bag, ask her pardon for tampering with itscontents, and say no more; only keeping as much as possible an eye toher welfare and safety if I saw it menaced. Now I meant somethingmore; and so, while she held my card in daintily gloved fingers andlooked at me with level, questioning eyes, I said, with the thought ofthe approaching brunette underlying my words:

'Miss Jenrys, I am the person who was of some small assistance a fewdays ago when you came near incurring serious injury at the hands of apair of Turks and a sedan-chair. ' I saw a look of remembrance, if notof recognition, flash into her face, and I hurried on. 'I do notmention this as entitling me to your notice, but I ask you to acceptmy word as that of one having no personal motive save the desire toserve you, and to listen to me for a few moments. '

She was scanning my face nervously, and now she said:

'I do not recall your face, though I remember the circumstance towhich you refer. If you are the gentleman who held back that recklessforeigner with a strong arm, and so saved me from something moreserious than a little pain in the shoulder, I am certainly yourdebtor, and I am glad of this opportunity to thank you. '

A little back of the place where she stood, in a corner, hemmed in onone side by a long glass case of exhibits of various sorts, was anarmchair, placed there, doubtless, for the ease of the person incharge of said case and its contents. There was no such personpresent, however, at that hour, and I pointed toward the chair, andsaid:

'If you will kindly take that seat, so that I may not feel that I amcompelling you to stand, I will not detain you long. '

She turned toward the seat, looked at it, at me, and finally beyond meand across the room, as if debating, and half inclined to pass me andescape; and then I saw a sudden withdrawal of the eyes and acompression of the lips, slight but perceptible. She turned as if inhaste, almost, and seated herself in the chair, first turning ittoward the windows so that her back would be toward the interior ofthe room, and then, to my surprise, she beckoned me, with ahalf-smile, to a place upon the window-seat, which would narrowlyserve this purpose. 

I had not once looked back or about me, but I did not flatter myselfthat my words alone had won for me this graciousness; she had seenthe little brunette, and desired to avoid her. 

'Thank you, ' I said, when we were both seated. 'I will now come to thepoint at once. You must know, then, that after you had passed on andout of sight in the crowd I discovered at my very feet--so close thatno one had ventured to pick it up, if anyone had seen it in thatcrowd--a black leather bag--a chatelaine, I think you ladies call it. '

'Oh! you found my bag?' The look of reserve was lost in a quick andcharming smile. 'I am very glad!'

'I found it, and I tried to follow you and restore it, but you haddisappeared. '

'I had indeed; in at the first gate, which happened to be the JavaneseVillage. '

'That explains my failure. I had given up my search, and was about togo on my way, when I was approached by a young lady, a small personwith dark eyes and wearing a large plumed sailor-hat, who explainedthat she was a friend to the lady whose bag I had in my hand, that shehad seen me pick it up, and would now restore it to her. '

'And you gave it to her?'

'Was it not right?'

'The person was an impostor. '

'Is it possible? And yet two days after, as you were entering thegrounds, and I was about to approach you, I saw this same person greetyou, seemingly, and walk on in your company. It made a coward of me. Idared not approach in the face of a friend of yours whom I had treatedas an impostor. '

'How do you mean?'

'I mean that I doubted the person, and refused to give her the bag. 'And I hurriedly made confession, telling her how at last I was forcedto read first her friend's letter and then her own, in order to learnher name, and that then her address was still a mystery. 'I had butone chance of finding you, ' I concluded. 'You had informed your friendthat your apartments were conveniently near the Fifty-seventh Streetentrance. '

'Oh! Indeed!' I had seen the quick colour flash into her face at mymention of the letters, and of having read them, and the restraint wasonce more evident in face and voice when she said:

'I thank you, sir; but the contents of the bag--it was hardly worththe trouble you have taken to restore it--that is----'

'I have it with me, Miss Jenrys, and when I am sure that we are notunder surveillance I will place it in your hands; and now I owe it tomyself to make my own conduct in this affair and my present positionclearer. At first it was with me a simple matter of returning a lostarticle to a lady. Failing to overtake you, I might perhaps haveturned it over to some guard but for the interference of the brunette, who at once put me on the defensive and aroused my suspicion. Itsomehow seemed to me that the young person was more than commonlyanxious to possess your bag, and then it occurred to me that the bagmight contain something or some information that she especially wishedto possess. My interest was aroused, and then I took the liberty ofexamining your bag, and having done so, I determined at least toattempt to return it to you, and to ask you to pardon the liberty Ihad taken with your correspondence. '

'I suppose anyone would have done the same, ' she said, rather coldly. 'What I do not comprehend is why you did not return the bag to me inthe presence of this person, of whom you might have warned me. '

'It is that which I am about to explain, ' I replied gravely. 'And Imust, for the sake of others whose interests I represent, ask you toregard what I am now about to tell you as a confidence made necessarybecause of the circumstances. Miss Jenrys, the card in your hand bearsmy real name, but few know me by it, because I so often bear others, as one of the necessities of my profession. I am known here to thosewho know me at all as one of those secret service men you have nodoubt heard or read of. In other words----'

'A detective?' She bent forward and scanned my face narrowly. 

'When I saw you in company with the little brunette, as I have sincecalled her for want of a better title, I was at first amazed andinclined to doubt my own sagacity; but when--I am making a cleanbreast of it, Miss Jenrys--when I followed you, doubtful what courseto pursue, I saw you joined by a gentleman, and I saw the brunetteslip away from you as she would hardly have done, as you would hardlyhave allowed her to do, had she been friend or acquaintance. I amenrolled here as a "special, " but I came, in company with another, with a definite object in view. Within these grounds are severalpersons under suspicion, and whom we are hoping to capture andconvict, and when I tell you that only yesterday I learned that thissame little brunette who claimed your property and friendship was seenin company with two suspected persons, you will hardly wonder thatwhat I had attempted to do from purest courtesy from one stranger toanother, and that other a lady, I felt impelled to do from a sense ofduty, as well as desire to save one whom I had seen to be alone, andwho might, for aught I could tell, be menaced by some unsuspecteddanger. '

There was no fear on her face, only a slightly troubled look, as sheasked:

'What do you mean?'

'Simply that it is my duty to warn you, and to ask you if you know ofany reason why you should be followed, or watched, or menaced by anymanner of danger?'

'No'--she slowly shook her fair head--'no reason whatever. '

'And may I ask you about this person, this brunette? I would not say'this woman. ''

She started slightly, and leaned toward me. 

'Is she here still?' she whispered. 

I turned my head and cast a deliberate glance around the room. 

'I do not see her, ' I said; 'but she may be below, with an eye on thestaircase. '

'It's more than likely. It's little I can tell you, ' she said. 'Sheran up to me that morning at the gate, her face beaming and her handheld out, and when she was close to me, and I drew away from her, shebegan the most profuse apologies: she was very near-sighted, and shehad mistaken me for an old acquaintance she had not seen for sometime; then she kept on by my side, prattling about her "mamma, " whohad not been able to leave the hotel since they came; of her dread ofbeing alone, and her eagerness to see the Fair. She had hoped, whenshe saw me, that she had found someone who would let her "just followalong, so that she would not feel so much alone, " etc. I did not likeher volubility, yet I could see no way, short of absolute rudeness, ofshaking her off. When I met a New York acquaintance, down near thelake shore, she quite surprised me by quietly slipping away. Do youthink----' She paused, and arose with a quick, easy grace which seemedinherent. 'Will you come down and be introduced to my aunt?' sheasked. 'I have great confidence in her judgment of--gentlemen, and sheought to know this; that is, if you can give me the time. '

'My time is entirely yours, ' I declared recklessly, 'and nothing wouldgive me more pleasure than to pay my entirely sincere respects tothat lovely woman I saw in your company, and who, I am almost certain, saw me playing the spy upon her niece. '

She smiled as she moved toward the stairway, at the head of which sheturned and paused a moment. 

'Do you think she will approach us?' she asked. 

'I can't imagine what she will do. '

'But she will see you, and----'

I think the smile on my face stopped her. 

'You did not recognise me, ' I said. 'She may not. '

She looked into my face keenly, and then a quick look of intelligenceflashed into her eyes. 

'Oh!' It was all she said, but it meant much. She took a stepdownward, and turned again. 'Of course I must not enlighten my aunt?'

'If you are willing to let it lie between us two--at first?'

'Certainly, ' she said gravely, and went on down the stairs. 

At the landing, half-way down, where the staircase turned to right andleft, I saw, over her shoulder, a little dark figure standing in thewest doorway. 

'Turn to the right, ' I said, over her shoulder. '"The longest wayround, " you know. '

She nodded, and without a glance in the other direction went down theeast side, turned at the foot to wait for me with the air of one quiteabsorbed in an agreeable companion, and we went out at the door facingthe Minnesota Building and the morning sun. As we stepped outside Ipaused in my turn. 

'One word, if you will allow it. I may have to learn more of thisperson. It may make difficulties for me, and--who knows?--perhaps foryou, if she imagines that you know her for--what she is. Or guesses, as she might----'

'What you are?' she interposed. 'You may trust me. '

We turned at the corner, and came once more to the west side and thelittle arbour. As we rounded the corner my companion suddenly slippedher little hand beneath my elbow, giving it at the same time asignificant little pressure. The brunette, having doubtless watchedour progress through the window, was coming down the steps andstraight toward us. 

For just a passing moment I knew how Miss Jenrys looked to the friendswho knew her, and whom she knew best. She was smiling and preoccupiedas we stepped within the inclosure. 

'See, ' she said, hastening her own steps and mine, with a bright looktoward the benches, 'there is auntie. '

The little brunette was almost abreast of us, and my companion'ssmiling gaze was still fixed upon the figure under the vines; then sheturned her head, and, just at the place where we could turn from thewalk, let her eyes turn toward the figure just opposite us. 

It was charmingly done. Just as she made a step in the direction ofthe arbour her eyes fell quite naturally upon the face of thebrunette. 'Good-morning, ' she said smilingly, and with a little nod ofher head. But there was no slackening of her steps; with the words onher lips we were off the walk, and crossing the grass to the place, not ten paces away, where the sweet-faced Quakeress sat, knitting andlooking her surprise. 

'Auntie, I have brought you a new acquaintance, ' Miss Jenrys said, ina voice slightly raised; and then, looking after the retreating figureof the brunette and seeing that she was quite out of hearing, sheadded, 'and I have found my bag. '

I took the bag from my pocket, where it had grown to seem a quitefamiliar bulk, and laid it in her lap, and she began at once tonarrate to the wondering Quakeress the adventures of the little bag. She heard it through, with here and there a soft little exclamation ofwonder, and I saw that she was slightly deaf, and quite given tomisunderstanding and miscalling words and phrases. 

'Thee has been very lucky, my dear, ' the good soul said when MissJenrys had done, 'and the young man has been at great pains to restorethy reticule. It was hardly worth so much trouble, do you think?'

'Not in actual value perhaps, auntie, but it contained one or twolittle keepsakes that I valued'--she breathed a little flutteringsigh--'for the sake of the giver. '

'Is that why thee has mourned the loss of the little bag so much, andsaid so many unkind things about those poor benighted men of Turkey?Then, indeed, I must add my thanks to thine. ' And she turned andextended to me a soft slim hand, ungloved and delicately veined; andthen she began to question me about the Fair and the things I hadseen, showing in her questions and comments a singular mixture ofinnocent unworldliness, and native shrewdness, and mother wit. 

In the midst of our talk Miss Jenrys broke in with a low, quickexclamation, which caused us to cease and turn toward her. 

'Mr. Masters, ' she said, in a low tone, 'our friend the brunette islooking over from the gallery windows of the Dakota Building--see! theone next the corner, toward the bridge. She does not make herselfneedlessly conspicuous, and it was only by the peculiar shade herfigure threw, as she stood at one side--the eastern side--that I wasdrawn to observe her. My eyes are very strong--I am sure I am notmistaken. '

'It is only what I expected, ' I replied. 'She will wait, no doubt, until she gets an opportunity to speak with you. Evidently she hassome object in view, something to learn from you, or something to tellyou. I would give something to know what it is. '

She looked at me a moment with thoughtful eyes. I had purposelyspoken in a guarded tone, and when she answered it was in the samemanner. 

'Would it help you to learn her object?'

'It might, and it might give us a hint as to their reasons forfollowing you. '

'Their reasons? Do you think----' She stopped abruptly. 

'I don't know what to think, Miss Jenrys. It looked as if this personwere following you on the day you lost your bag, and I am convincedthat she is in some way connected with two or more men who are morethan suspected of being offenders against the law. Miss Jenrys, do youknow of any reason why you should be watched--followed? Have you anenemy? Are you in anyone's way?'

Instead of answering, she turned to the elder lady, who had beenlistening like one who but half comprehends. 

'Auntie, you heard me say that Mr. Masters has strong reasons forthinking that the young woman who just passed us, and who has forcedherself upon my notice, and tried to claim my bag, is loitering aboutnow for the purpose of speaking to me?'

'I heard thee: yes, June, surely I did, and I cannot understand thething at all. '

'Nor do we, Aunt Ann. ' She turned to me again. 'I am getting the feverfor investigation, ' she said, slightly smiling. 'I am not alarmed atwhat you have told me, but I do not doubt it, and if you think itbest, if it will help you, I will give that young woman a chance toease her mind to me. I will leave you here with Aunt Ann, and go, under her eyes, to the building next to this, on to the WashingtonHouse, and give her a chance to follow. '

I waited for the elder lady to speak, and my own surprise was great ather brave proposition--for it was brave, braver than she knew; and Iwas asking myself if I had the right to let her go to meet--anadventuress at the least, a criminal possibly. But her aunt gave thedecisive word. 

'My dear June, thee knows I do not like a mystery. If anything is tobe learned concerning this person's strange conduct, we should find itout, and end the following and spying, else it will not be safe forthee to come here alone, even by day. '

'Fie! Aunt Ann--with all these guards and half the world looking on?Then I had better go, Mr. Masters. '

'If you will. '

'Have you any advice or instructions to give me?'

'I think you will know how to proceed. Only it might be well to lether talk, if she will. '

'Certainly. '

'And, Miss Jenrys, let me beg of you, do not go away from thisimmediate vicinity, and do not walk upon the streets with this personif it can be avoided. Above all, do not make a further appointmentwith her. '

'I will be discreet. Good-bye for a short time, Aunt Ann. ' She droppedthe newly-returned bag into her aunt's lap and went away, as lithe andcareless-seeming as the veriest pleasure-seeker. 

She looked up and down at the windows of the South Dakota House andthen walked deliberately in. 

CHAPTER XII. 

'MORE DANGEROUS THAN HATE. '

When we had watched her vanish within the walls of the oppositebuilding, Miss Ross--for 'Aunt Ann' was a spinster--deliberately aroseand took the place beside me. 

'We can talk better so, ' she said placidly, 'and I want to talk withthee. ' And she began to roll up her knitting with care. 

As we sat there I was almost hidden from view from the streets, because of the thick vine tendrils that fell like a curtain between meand the passers-by, while it did not prevent my looking through thegreen drapery at my pleasure. But Aunt Ann had placed herself whereshe was plainly visible to all who passed. 

'Now, ' she began, having put away her knitting, 'I ask thee honestly, sir, does thee think my niece in real danger of any sort? I cannotunderstand this strangeness. '

'Truly, Miss Ross, ' I answered, 'I know no more than you have heard;but I could do no less than warn the young lady, knowing what I did. '

She bent toward me and scrutinized my face closely, keenly. 

'Thy face is a good face, ' she said then, 'and I like thy voice; but, young man, I am only a woman, and I have no right to do rashly. Myniece trusts thee, but she is but a girl, with all her self-reliance. Forgive an old woman's caution, and--tell me what is thy reason forthe interest thee takes in my niece? Cannot thee give me somecredential, some voucher for thy good faith, before I say to thee whatI wish to say?'

Again I found myself forced to a sudden decision. In my experience asa detective I had found myself in many strange situations, but neverbefore had I felt that I must speak the truth, or not at all, in aposition like this. I answered, with scarce a moment's hesitation:

'You are right and wise, madam, and I am sure that I can confide toyou the truth concerning my business at the Fair--only asking, becauseothers are concerned with myself, that you regard my information asconfidential. '

'Surely, ' she said quietly. 'Thee may trust a Friend. We are not givento overmuch speaking. Of course thee has my promise. '

'Then I may tell you that my business here is to watch for and guardagainst just such people as this person, this brunette, seems to be. Iam a member of the Secret Service Bureau. '

We were alone in the little arbour, and I showed her first my badge, sewn inside my coat, and then my photographic pass. 

'I thank thee; and may I ask now does my niece know this?'

'I should have found extreme difficulty in gaining her ear or herconfidence otherwise, ' I answered. 

'Ah! I felt sure--I know the child so well--that somehow she had founda reason for her faith in you. There is no prouder or more womanlygirl living than my niece, June Jenrys; and now tell me frankly, whatdoes thee fear or anticipate for her?'

'If I knew your niece, Miss Ross, her friends, her foes, her history, I might venture an opinion. As it is, cannot you help me?'

She pondered a little, then:

'Tell me again, ' she said, 'all about the bag and this woman. '

Now, I wanted to learn one or two things from this interview, and Irealized that our time was short, so I rehearsed the story again, andquite fully, but as briefly as possible. When I had finished, theclear-headed Quakeress was thoughtful again, then she said:

'I don't like this, not in the least; and I feel that thee has beenright. I fear my girl is, in some way, in danger. Will you advise me?'she asked, with sudden energy. 

'To the best of my ability, willingly. ' And then I risked a firstrepulse. 'If I might ask you to tell me something of your niece--herposition--your plans----'

'Of course. My niece there is an orphan and an heiress. '

'Oh!' She gave me a quick glance and went on. 

'Her home has been in New York City, with an aunt, formerly herguardian. June is now of age and her own mistress. Of late she hasbeen with me in my little home, less than one hundred miles from thiscity. She came of her own accord, and was most welcome, and we camehere together a little more than a week ago, June declaring that shemeant to stay all summer, and I nothing loth. ' She stopped and smiled. 'This is all very barren, ' she said. 'I think thee will have toquestion me. '

'Then I think we must be brief. First, are you stopping near thegrounds?'

'Very near; on Washington Avenue, little more than two blocks away;'and she mentioned the number. 

'Is it a boarding-house, a--pardon me, what I wish to know is if youhave made any acquaintances there; if anyone has learned, forinstance, that you are ladies of independent fortune, meaning to makea long stay, and consequently likely to have with you more or lessmoney. '

'Ah! I was sure thee could get on. We are in a private house, foundfor us by the Public Comfort Bureau, and we have taken their onlysuite; there are no others. '

'And the family?'

Just the two, man and wife, and a servant. It's a cottage, but verycosy. '

'Has your niece an enemy?'

'An enemy? Oh, I trust not! I do trust not! I can't think so. Still, June is a society girl; I know little of that side of her life. '

'Then do you know if she has a friend who is, or may be, afortune-hunter, one whom you distrust?'

I saw the quick colour flush her sweet face and leave it pale again, and again for a moment she seemed to hesitate. 

'I don't quite like to say it, ' she began then; 'but since we havebeen here I have seen a person who, I think, would be a suitor for myniece if she would permit it. I am not versed in the world's ways, butI have seldom found myself deceived in my judgment of man or woman, though I ought not to boast it. But of this man I think three things. He is madly in love with my niece, and his sort of love is not thetrue sort. It is not lasting, and it is more dangerous than hate. Heis a foreigner, with the soft, insincere ways that I cannot like nortrust. He has a strong will and a cruel eye, and--he likes me not atall. Mind thee, I do not accuse him--only he is the one person we havemet here and spoken with except thyself; and----' She broke off andshook her head. 

'Do you think----' The question did not fall from my lips, but sheinterpreted it. 

'Thee means does she care for him? I do not think it. She is courteousto him, nothing more. Out of his sight I do not think she gives him athought. But he is here, and she is young. I am poor company for ayoung girl. '

'I wish all young girls could enjoy such society as yours, Miss Ross. Do you think this business has disturbed Miss Jenrys?'

'Disturbed? June Jenrys has not one drop of coward blood in her veins!I have thought, since she has been with me--I am almost certain, indeed--that something has saddened my girl just a little; she seemsquieter than she used, and is almost listless at times, which is notlike her. Sometimes she seems quite herself, and that is a very brightself, then at times she is quite preoccupied. I think this affair hasaroused her interest, perhaps--ah----'

She was facing the street, and the little quietly-uttered syllablecaused me to look through the leaves in the same direction. MissJenrys was approaching, on the opposite side, in the shadow of theDakota Building, and with her, walking slowly and talking volubly, wasthe little brunette. I was watching her narrowly, and as the twocrossed to the side nearest us I saw her start, stop suddenly, andturn toward her companion; as she thus stood, her back was toward thebridge, and a glance in that direction showed me a tall, well-dressedman, who carried a bunch of long-stemmed La France roses, and whosebrisk steps brought him in a moment face to face with Miss Jenrys. There was a brief pantomime of greeting between the newcomer and MissJenrys, and then she turned toward the brunette, and there was a shortexchange of words. Then the man lifted his hat, the brunette bowed andturned away, going toward the entrance, while Miss Jenrys and hercompanion, whom I had recognised as Monsieur Voisin, came toward us. 

He was not aware of my presence, I know, until he had passed the pointwhere the arbour opened opposite the west door of the Nebraska House, but he acknowledged Miss Jenrys' introduction with a perfect bow andan amiable speech, intended for my companions as well as for myself. 

He had taken the liberty of calling at their cottage, he informed us, to ask if he might not serve them as escort, but had been told thatthey were already at the grounds. He considered himself very fortunateto have met them at the very gate, as it were; and then he presentedthe roses to Miss Jenrys. 

She received them with a smile, and a word of praise for their beauty, and then, in that charming way a clever woman has when she chooses toemploy it, she made him aware that his kindly offer of escort servicemust be declined, since, with a nod in my direction, they 'werealready provided with an escort. '

I took my cue at once, and after a few more words, addressed to eachin turn, and a short exchange of courtesies between him and myself, Monsieur Voisin lifted his hat, saying that since he was so much alaggard as to have lost some charming companions he would endeavour torecover his lost time by travelling to the Convent of La Rabida _viâ_the Intramural Railway; and so, smiling and bowing, he went back overthe bridge to the station above the entrance. 

When he had gone Miss Jenrys turned to me. 

'I must ask your pardon for that little implied fib, Mr. Masters; and, auntie, don't look too much shocked. I could not allow Mr. Masters tolose his time, which is no doubt of value, or to go away perhapsbefore he had heard my experience. ' And then, before the elder ladycould utter her gentle reproof or I could reply to her speech, shebegan to tell her story. 

'I thought, ' she began, 'that I would take the shortest way to myobject, so I went in, as you saw, to view South Dakota. It was sosmall that I was soon upstairs, walking around the little galleryunder the dome. Of course I came upon our friend the brunette almostat once, and greeted her so amiably that she joined my promenadewithout hesitation. Of course you don't care to know all that we said. I let her take the initiative, only keeping an amiable and fairlyinterested countenance and following her lead. She began by telling mehow she "happened to meet me again. " She had entered early, and hadpassed the time looking at some of the State buildings, in order to benear the entrance, where her "mamma" had partly promised to meet herin an hour or so. She did not want to miss her "mamma, " and so hadloitered, after a little time spent in some of the buildings opposite, in these two houses, where she could overlook the entrance and thebridge. It was not "nice" to be alone so much, and her "mamma" did notlike her to be alone, but she could not bear to lose the Fair, any ofit. Did I like going about alone? They were stopping at a hotel quitenear. Did I like a hotel? etc. In short, one of her objects, I amsure, was to learn how long we mean to stay here in Chicago; andanother, who were in the house with us, if it were large, and if therewere other rooms to let----'

'One moment, ' I broke in. 'Did she ask for your street or number, orboth? and how did you reply to her?'

'My answers were politely vague. She did not ask for our address, andI thought it rather strange. She knows that there are "several peopleat our house, but no room for more, " and that our stay depends uponcircumstances; but she had one important request to make, and she madeit very adroitly. Seeing that I, like herself, was alone, at leastsometimes, she had wondered, if it were possible, if I would not liketo see the grounds by night. Her "mamma" did not care to come outafter six o'clock, she feared the lake breezes; and she did so long toexplore the grounds at night. Would it be possible--would I be willingto accompany her, when I had no better companion, of course, for anhour or so, some evening soon, to see the grounds and buildingsilluminated? Her "mamma" had told her she might ask, provided ofcourse she was sure, which of course she was, that I was "quite niceand proper. " As for herself, she was quite prepared with her cards andreferences. '

She stopped here, and challenged my opinion with a piquant, questioning look. 

'My child!' ejaculated Aunt Ann, 'thee did not accept?'

'Was that all?' I asked. 

'It was quite enough, ' she replied, quite gravely now. 'She gave me acard with a written address upon it, and I told her I would let herknow to-morrow morning by mail. '

'June, thee must not go!'

She turned to me, without replying to her aunt's exclamation. 

'What do you think of it?' she asked calmly, but quite earnestly now, in contrast to her light manner of telling her story. 

'I think you have done well, both in going to meet this person and inyour manner of meeting her modest requests, but I think it has gonefar enough. '

'You think, then, that there is a plot--something serious?'

'I can see no other explanation; and now, Miss Jenrys, before anotherword is said, will you promise me not to allow this person to approachor address you again?'

She looked at me in some surprise. 'You think her so dangerous?' shequestioned. 

'Yes; you have used the right word. '

Again she watched my face intently, but she did not give the asked-forpromise, and her aunt broke in anxiously. 

'Mr. Masters, does thee think we would be safer, and wiser, if we wentaway quickly and quietly?'

'Auntie!' exclaimed the young lady, 'how can you! I thought you werebraver. Don't speak of going away. I will not hear of it. I am willingto be advised, within reason, but I would rather risk something thango away from this beautiful place before I have seen all of itswonders, or as many as I can. I am not afraid, and I will not runaway. You do not advise such extreme precautionary measures, Mr. Masters, surely?'

'Not since I have heard your wishes so strongly expressed. No, MissRoss, I think there is no need of going away, now that you are warnedand will use caution; but, Miss Jenrys, you will be cautious aboutgoing out alone, and especially at evening--you should have an escort, a protector. '

'One might as well be a prisoner at once as be compelled to remainindoors on these lovely nights, ' said the girl rebelliously. 'Auntie, I will carry my little revolver. Oh, ' in answer to my glance of tooplain inquiry, 'I can shoot very well. '

'I shall feel much safer without it, my child, ' said Aunt Annuneasily. 'Mr. Masters, is there not some way--these guards inuniform, or are there not guides who could be employed--in theevening, that is?'

'Auntie dear, I have a better thought still--the chairs. We can securetwo reliable men for them, and do our sight-seeing by night in comfortand safety in that way. ' She turned a smiling face toward me. 'Don'tyou think that a simple and sensible arrangement?'

'I do; that is, if you will permit me to choose the men who are toguide the chairs and see that they understand their duty. '

'Why, to be sure. Mr. Masters, we are very stupid, auntie and I. Ifyou could----'

She hesitated, and glanced from her aunt's face to mine. 

'June, child, I think I know what is in thy mind; I know the nature ofthis young man's business in this place, and you are right. If he canspare the time, it is right that we should know, if possible, what wehave to guard against, to fear or avoid. Is it thy pleasure, sir, toundertake this for us?'

I turned silently toward Miss Jenrys. 

'Aunt Ann is right, ' she said, with decision. 'Can you take thismatter in hand?'

'I will take it in hand, ' I replied. 'But tell me just what you wish. Do you simply want insured protection against annoyance, or do youwant this brunette followed up until we learn why she has singled youout for her peculiar attentions?'

'I have heard it said, ' Miss Jenrys replied, 'that the detective feveris contagious, and I feel now as if I must have this little mysteryunravelled. I dare say it will end in something stupid andcommonplace. Still, let us unravel it if possible. What say you, AuntAnn?'

'I have already told thee that I detest mysteries. Yes, we must knowwhat it means. '

'And know you shall, ' I declared, 'if it rests within my power. '

The sun was fast travelling toward the zenith, and I had promised Davea rendezvous at noon. 

It was not difficult to impress upon these two clever women the needfor perfect secrecy, and that no one must guess at the truthconcerning myself. I had observed that Monsieur Voisin addressed me asMr. Masseys, and that Miss Jenrys had spoken my name in performing theintroduction very indistinctly, and before I left she spoke of this. 

'Perhaps you noticed the mistake of Monsieur Voisin in addressingyou, ' she said. 'It occurred to me, just as I was about to speak yourname, that I might be making a blunder, so I mumbled your name, andwas glad to hear him call you by another. '

'Your tact was a kindness. Let me remain Mr. Masseys to him and toanyone I may chance to meet in your company. I may be obliged to callupon you, and should we meet, Monsieur Voisin and I, it will be bestthat he knows me for a visitor like himself. '

When we parted it was with a very thorough understanding, and I wenttoward my meeting-place wondering what new thing would turn up in thiscity of surprises, and what Dave would think of all this. I haddetermined to put a shadow upon the heels of the brunette when sheshould appear to get the note from Miss Jenrys, which was to becouched in diplomatic language, and take the form of an indefinitepostponement rather than a refusal. 

When Dave and I met, I gave him, as usual, ample time to say thethings of no moment first, in his usual manner; but I did not mentionmy own affair of the morning, leaving this to be told later and at atime of more leisure, for Dave and I had no secrets from each otherwhen we were together. 

And this was the part of wisdom as well as for friendship's sake. Iknew always just how his work stood, and should disaster or delayovertake him, I knew just how to report or to go on with his work, ashe with mine. 

When he joined me, I saw at once that he was more than usuallyanimated, and, contrary to his usual custom, he came straight to thebusiness upon his mind:

'Old man, I have seen Delbras. '

CHAPTER XIII. 

FACE TO FACE WITH DELBRAS. 

'You have found Delbras?' I echoed. This was news indeed, and I waitedeagerly for further information. 

'Yes, sir. I'm sure of it. I don't doubt it; and it was in MidwayPlaisance. '

'Go on, Dave. '

'Well, it's a short story. I had been lounging around the big wheelfor some time--that monster has a sort of fascination for me; it makesme feel like a small boy, unable to gape enough. I was looking at thepeople coming and going, and I almost forgot that it was noon, until Iheard someone say close beside me, "Almost noon, Jack. Let's get outof this. " That startled me. I had not thought it was so late, and Itook a look at old Sol and started on. I was walking pretty brisk, andall at once I came up behind a couple that made me start. One of themwas Greenback Bob, past doubt, and the other was, or so I firstthought, an Arab dressed in American trousers and coat and wearing afez; but when I came closer and looked him well over I was sure itwas Delbras--there were all the points, everything; and I followedthem, feeling as pleased as if I had them already in bracelets; andthen, just as I was wondering where they were going, they brought upin a crowd before one of those Turkish theatres. The hustler washustling in his last crowd before dinner, and when the two pushedtheir way to the ticket booth I kept close behind them. 

'Well, sir, they were close by the place, but they bought no tickets, that I'll swear; nevertheless, before I could take in the situationthey were walking past the man at the entrance and into the show, andI made all haste to buy a ticket and follow them. 

'Of course I felt sure that I was following, for I had seen them passthrough the inner door; but when I got inside, and began to lookaround me, they were not there, neither of them. I looked through theaudience, it was a very thin one; made my way down to the stage tolook for the door by which they had escaped me, and I did some mentalprofanity that'll be forgiven me, I know, and then I gave it up andwent outside to reconnoitre the old barrack. 

'On one side its windows overlooked a lane open straight from thestreet, and there was a small door in the rear corner, while in theother a door that must have opened behind the scenes inside gave upona sort of court-like quarters where a lot of fellows where lounging, and a few cooking, at an open fire. I made this discovery through acrack in the high fence in the rear, and I prowled about until Iassured myself that my gentlemen were not there. 

'I suppose I had hung about that rear inclosure some twenty minutes, or perhaps more, when I suddenly bethought me of the other Turkishbooth and the big bazaar, and I came around to take a final look atthe front and then move on. When I reached the front, one of thedancing-girls was posturing before the entrance, and a new voice wascalling the crowd to "come and see and admire the only original, " etc;and, sir, there upon the upper step, exhorting the public, was--Delbras himself. '

'The clever rascal!' I exclaimed. 

'You may well say so. Well, sir, it did not take me long to do mythinking. It was almost noon, a quarter to twelve in fact, and I saidto myself, "This fellow is playing Turk, and he has turned showman. Hehas just relieved the other fellow, and will be likely to be here allthe afternoon. " I couldn't have stayed there if I would without beingspotted, for the moment I got myself a little nearer to him he spiedme, and began a pantomime of roping me in hand over fist with animaginary cable. He would have known my face if I had tried to keepnear enough to be safe in case of a sudden move, so I took the chanceof keeping my appointment with you, getting up a different mug, andhurrying back. '

'And you expect to find him there?'

'I hope to find him there. It would never have done to have stayed. Hewould have spotted me at once. The fellow is a long remove from afool. Carl, what do you think of this deal? What, in your opinion, istheir little game?'

'Precisely the same that you and I would play in their places. Whatcould a man ask better if he wants to dodge arrest, or evadesurveillance, than such a chance as Midway affords him? All he needsis a "pull" with some of these Orientals, and they are here for themost part for the "backsheesh. " Besides, you remember, Delbras is saidto have crossed at the time many of these fellows were coming over, and he had plenty of chance to make himself solid on the way, or evenbefore they crossed the water. Who knows how much fine work he hasdone among these Turks, Syrians, Algerians, Egyptians, Japs, and soon?'

'Jove! you're right enough. '

'And then, Delbras has just the face and figure to disguise well; as aTurk, for instance'--Dave made a wry face--'or as an Arab, and evenBob could manage to transform himself into a passable Algerian. Yourdiscovery of this morning, Dave, simply means that, from this moment, in addition to the task of watching all the European faces in searchof our men, we shall have the added perplexity of peering under thehoods, turbans, fezes, etc. , of all Midway. '

Dave's face was very grave, and he was silent for some moments. 

'The very fact, ' he finally resumed, 'of finding Delbras in a Turk'sfez and playing the "jay" for one of their theatres shows that you'reright, Carl. Well'--getting up suddenly and catching his hat from offthe floor--'we didn't exactly come here to play; and as fordisguises--why, we've played at that game ourselves. '

We took a hasty and somewhat meagre lunch at the nearest 'stand, ' andprepared for an afternoon upon the Plaisance. But I saw clearly thatsome other way must be devised to entrap our quarry; that, given theopen sesame of the temples and pagodas, the booths and pavilions, thevillages, with their ins and outs, and our tricky and elusive triowould have an advantage against which it would be difficult tocontend. 

And in this I was right. We found Delbras, or the man we believed tobe Delbras, still occupying the 'lecturer's' place at the entrance tothe theatre. He was disguised to the extent of a pair of blackwhiskers and some slightly smoked gold-rimmed nose-glasses, just as hehad been in the morning; and he did not labour continuously. Instead, he exchanged often with a second person, who took up the strain offlowery superlatives at about every other half-hour, during whichrelief the disguised Delbras gave some portion of his time to thebox-office and making of change, and the remainder to puffinginnumerable cigarettes. But in spite of our combined vigilance, before the afternoon was over, and while the crowds were thickest andrapid movement impossible, the man escaped our vigilance. It did notsurprise me. Those Midway throngs made veritable sanctuary for afleeing criminal, but it made me more than ever determined to findsome other and quicker way of getting our hands upon this gang. 

All that week we haunted Midway to little purpose. Once in the verycentre of the big Turkish bazaar--where everything was sold, and whichwas extended from time to time out of all proportion to its originalsize--where, too, I had been arrested and ignominiously marched away, to be rescued by Dave Brainerd--I caught a glimpse of Delbras, thistime in full Turkish costume, and minus the beard and smoked glasses. 

I followed him recklessly, thrusting aside those who obstructed my waywith an impatient and ruthless hand, until I came to a spot, almost atthe southern exit of the long and narrow L, where a crowd was packedfrom side to side of the eight-foot aisle, with mouths agape listeningto the exhortations of a boyish-looking fellow, wearing a Turkish fezand a sort of smoking-jacket, and looking, in spite of this, far morelike a Jew than a follower of Mahomet. He stood at one side, close tothe entrance, and a curtain framed and partially concealed him. Behindhim, towering above him by a head and shoulders, was a tall Soudanese, his face black, and shining, and round, and his white robe and turbanemphasizing the arm, bare, black, and massive, that waved a continuousaccompaniment to the words half spoken, half shouted, by the other:

'Buy your tickets! Buy your tickets now, now, now! Come and see how toget married! Come to see how to get divorced! Come to see how theladies quarrel with their husbands! Come and see how the ladiesquarrel with each other! Buy your tickets now, now, now!'

In this singular combination of the modern fakir plying his trade andthe huge black steadily and systematically beckoning toward a stairwaypartially concealed beyond the curtain, and looking like some gianteunuch of ancient romance, there seemed something which caught andheld the public eye and the public wonder; and they crowded about theimprovised entrance, and formed an impassable wall between me and theman so short a distance ahead, yet so utterly out of reach. 

It was vain to struggle. That Turkish fez had been to Delbras an opensesame through the packed mass of humanity, and for a time I saw itnodding above the lesser heads half-way between the door of exit andthat half-concealing curtain. Then, presto! it was gone; and though Iwent wildly around to the farther entrance, pushing and jostling toright and left, and bringing down upon myself anathemas withoutnumber; though I reached the south end of the building in a moment, seemingly, and gazed in every direction, Delbras had vanished. 

It was while making this wild rush that I brought upon myself theattention of one of the very guards who had led me ignominiously awayfrom the presence of Smug and the Camps. 

He had seen my hasty rush from the building, and, without at firstrecognising me, had followed me to inquire the cause of my haste. 

I knew him at the first moment; and when I had answered his inquiry, he knew me. 

'The matter? Oh, I was trying to overtake a--a person whom Iparticularly wished to see, ' I replied; and I saw on his countenancethe dawning look of recognition. 'Seems to me you and I have metbefore. You don't want to arrest me again, do you?' I added testily;and then I pulled myself together and asked more amiably, 'Did youthink I was running away with another wallet?'

The young fellow's face brightened. Dave's words had told him and hiscompanions who I was, and he answered, very respectfully:

'No, sir, not this time; though I had not recognised you at first. CanI help you in any way, sir?'

'N--no, I'm afraid there's no help for me this time. By the way, didyou happen to see any of those parties again after you marched me offso cruelly?'

He knitted his brows to assist his memory, and finally replied:

'Come to think, sir, I did see one of them; at least one of thepersons who had been swindled like yourself. '

'Swindled?'

'Yes, sir. You see, we didn't quite catch on at the time; it was alldone so quick, and I got the idea that it was a sort of pocket-game;but it happened that I met the other gentleman, the next day, if Iremember, and I spoke to him, for I knew his face at once. '

'Describe him. '

'Why, not very tall, and--well, not very light nor very dark, I shouldsay; not much hair on his face, and dressed in a sort of gray suit. '

'Yes, I see. ' I recognised the description as that of Smug, anddetermined to hear more. 'And what did he say?'

'Why, nothing at first; but when I saw him looking at me sort ofsharp, I just stepped up and asked him how the row finished after theother guard and I had hustled you off; and then I told him how we hadfound out our mistake, and how your friend had let us off easy, although both were on the detective force. And then he explained how, as you and he were trying to keep the old man and his wife from beingfleeced, one of the gang had set up the cry of "Pickpocket!" and hadpointed at you; and then, you know, when we fished that wallet out ofyour pocket it looked a----'

'Yes, ' I replied gravely; 'it certainly did. '

'He said, ' went on the guard, 'that he had tried to make us understandthat it was all a mistake about you, you know, but we didn't hearhim. '

'So you told him that my friend and I were upon the S. S. ?' I said. 

'Why, yes; was that----'

'Never mind. What did he say about the others--the tall man with thefez, for instance? He had a notebook and some bills in his hand, youmay remember. '

'Yes, sir, I do. Yes, he told me about him. Jumbo! but didn't you allget into a muddle. He had a narrow escape, too--the tall man, youknow. Did you know who he was?'

I shook my head. 

'Well, sir, he came very near being fleeced too. He wanted to change abill, it seems, and the old farmer and the other fellow--the one thattold me, you know, had both been getting some change from a man thatclaimed to make a business of changing foreign paper and large bills, to accommodate people. '

'Oh!' I ejaculated. 

'Yes, sir; and this gentleman--he was a big man, you know; one of themforeign managers, and couldn't speak very good English--was just goingto change with them, a hundred, I think he said, when somebody sets upthe cry of pickpocket, you know. '

'Yes, I know; go on. '

'Well, sir, after you was gone, of course in the crowd the realpickpocket got off scot-free. It turned out that the farmer and himthat told me had been "done" by some sharper, and that they was justready to pass off on this foreigner a lot of counterfeit money. '

'Great Cæsar!' I ejaculated, and then checked my hasty speech. Afterall, why should I expend my breath or wrath upon this guileless guard, who, after all, was doing me a service? and how cleverly Smug hadtwisted the story, and made it serve his turn! But it must not berepeated--if it had not been already. 

'Look here, ' I said in a more amiable tone, 'have you told thisaffair, all or any of it, to anyone?'

'Who--me? No. Haven't had the chance. The fellow that was with me thatday was taken off next day, and I've not seen a soul I know since. Idid want to tell him. '

'It's well you did not. Look here, if you want to keep out of trouble, you must keep perfectly dark about this matter. It's being sifted onthe quiet, and they'd take it very ill at headquarters if one of theguards was to "leak" on them, and maybe spoil their game. And if youshould chance to meet this party again, remember, mum's the word. '

'I'll keep mum, sir. I don't want to lose my job, not yet, before I'veseen half the Fair. '

'Very good. Now, how long have you been on duty about this place?'

'Two weeks, sir--ever since I was put on the force. '

'And this foreigner--manager as you call him--did you have a good lookat him?'

'Oh yes, sir. '

'Ever seen him before?'

'Now that you ask, I'm quite sure I have, but not knowing who he was. Yes, I'm sure I've seen him about the village among the Turks morethan once. '

'Describe him. '

'Why, he's good-looking, and tall, and dark; got a sort of proud gait, and square shoulders; always dresses swell. '

'Thank you. ' I had squeezed my orange dry, and was anxious to leavehim. I had suspected it before, and was now convinced thatunwittingly, in my attempt to play the guardian angel to Adam Camp andhis wife, I had come face to face with Delbras. 

When I compared notes with Dave that night he was quite of my opinion. 

CHAPTER XIV. 

MISSING--CARTE BLANCHE. 

It had been decided between Miss Jenrys and myself that the littlebrunette should not be altogether ignored, at least for a time; and Ihad taken it upon myself to provide the letter which was to put offuntil a more convenient season the proposed survey of the White Cityby night. 

After some thought I had written the following, and posted itaccording to directions, in care of a certain café on Fifty-seventhStreet:

 'DEAR MISS B----, 'I find that I can hardly evade the duties one owes to courteous friends, and must for a few evenings devote myself to these. It is very likely that some of the friends of my chaperon will visit the Fair, perhaps this week, in which case she will perhaps be able to dispense with me for one evening; therefore please inform me if you should, as you suggested, change your address, so that I may drop you a note when the right time comes. 

 'Yours, etc. , 'J. E. J. '

This letter was submitted to Miss Jenrys, and then posted, but notuntil the superintendent had secured for me the services of ahalf-grown boy who had won a reputation as a keen and tenacious'shadow. ' Him I set to await the coming of our brunette; and, lest heshould mistake or miss her, I waited in attendance with him until shecame, which was at an early hour and in haste. 

I had also placed a man upon Stony Island Avenue, armed with minutedescriptions of Smug, Greenback Bob, Delbras, and the brunette, andwith instructions to watch the cafés and houses upon a line with theFair-grounds, and especially within a certain radius within which weknew parties of their peculiar sort were received 'and no questionsasked. '

As for Brainerd and myself, we had laid out a new system, and upon itwe founded a strong hope for ultimate success; though we recognisedmore and more the fact that we had to cope with men who were more thanordinarily keen, clever, and skilled in the fine art of dodging andbaffling pursuit. In fact, I was now thoroughly convinced that theywere living and working upon the supposition that they were constantlywatched and pursued, and that they governed their movements andshifted their abode accordingly. 

There was one thing which weighed upon my mind--I had almost saidconscience--and troubled me uncomfortably, and that was the attitude Iwas permitting the disguised brunette to maintain toward Miss Jenrys. 

Since she had entered so earnestly into the work of ferreting out themotive for the brunette's persistent attentions, she had manifestedsuch a willingness to aid me by allowing that personage to continuethe acquaintance already begun, that, while I appreciated it as anearnest of her trust in me, it was, nevertheless, embarrassing. 

I was not yet ready to tell her that I believed the brunette to be aman in masquerade--I must be able to prove my charge first; and yet Ihad determined that they should not meet again if I could standbetween them. 

It was to speak an additional word of caution, and to tell the twoladies that two stalwart and trusty chair-pushers were engaged fortheir evening sight-seeing, that I set out one morning to make myfirst call upon them at their apartment on Washington Avenue. It hadbeen decided that, even in such a throng as that of the White City, itwould not be wise to meet within the grounds too often, or too openly. We were sure of more or less surveillance from one source; and I wasquite ready to believe that from more than one direction interestedeyes were watching the coming and going of Miss Jenrys, if not ofmyself. 

Already I had tested the cooking and service of a variety of therestaurants, cafés, and _tables d'hôte_ within the gates, and I hadalso found that outside, and especially within easy reach from thenorthern or Fifty-seventh Street gate, were to be found a number ofmost cleanly and inviting little places, more or less pretentious, andunder various names, but all ready, willing, and able to serve one abreakfast, dinner, or luncheon such as would tempt even chronicgrumblers to smile, feast, and come again. 

I had breakfasted that morning at one of these comforting places, andupon leaving it had crossed the street to purchase a cigar from thestand on the corner, and having lighted it had kept on upon the sameside. 

I had meant to recross at the next corner, for half-way between twostreets, stationed beneath some trees upon a vacant lot, was abootblack's open-air establishment which I had a mind to patronize. AsI neared the scene, however, and glanced across, I saw that both ofthe bootblack's chairs were occupied, and upon a second glance I notedthat one of the occupants was my recent acquaintance, Monsieur Voisin, Miss Jenrys' friend. 

He was busy with a newspaper, or seemed to be, and glancing down at myfeet to make sure they were not too shabby for a morning call, I keptstraight on and turned down Washington Avenue upon its farther orwestern side. 

I had bought a paper along with my cigar, and as I ran up the steps ofthe pretty modern cottage where the two ladies had establishedthemselves I threw away the one and put the other in my pocket, wondering as I did so if Monsieur Voisin was also on his way to thisplace, and smiling a little, because I had at least the advantage ofbeing first. 

It was so early that the ladies had not yet returned from breakfast, which they took at a café "aroond the corner joost, " so the servantinformed me. But I was expected, and I was asked to wait in theirlittle reception-room, where a sunshade and a pair of dainty glovesupon a chair, and a shawl of soft gray precisely folded and lying upona small table, not to mention the books, papers, and little feminineknicknacks, gave to the room a look of occupancy and ownership. 

I had just unfolded my paper, and was glancing over the headlines uponthe first page, when the two ladies entered, and I dropped my paperwhile rising to salute them. 

In anticipation of or to forestall a possible call from MonsieurVoisin, I made haste to get through with the little business in hand, and obtained from Miss Jenrys, without question or demur, her promisenot to hold communication with the brunette, at least by letter, andto avoid if possible a meeting until I should be able to enlighten hermore fully. 

'I do not want to lose sight of her, ' I said, in scant explanation, 'and it seems that we can best keep our hold through her pursuit ofyou; but I would rather lose sight of her altogether and begin it allover again than let one line in your handwriting go into suchhands'--I avoided those false pronouns 'her' and 'she' when Icould--'and hope and trust you may be spared another interview. Please take this upon trust, Miss Jenrys, and you too, Miss Ross, andbelieve that I will not keep you in the dark one moment longer than isneedful. '

They assured me of their willingness to wait, even in the face of whatMiss Jenrys laughingly described as a devouring curiosity; and then, while she turned the talk upon the Fair and some of its wonders, MissRoss, murmuring a word of polite excuse, took up my paper from theplace where it had fallen from my hands. 

'Thee will allow me--I have not seen our morning paper. '

'Oh, Aunt Ann, I had entirely forgotten it!' cried her niececontritely. 

'It is not important, child, ' replied the smiling Quakeress. 'There isvery little in it now except the Fair, and that we can better read atfirst hand. '

Nevertheless, she began to turn the pages and to scan here and therethrough her dainty gold-framed spectacles, while Miss Jenrys began tointerrogate me concerning the mysteries of Midway Plaisance. 

'We hear such very contradictory stories, and I do not want to missany feature of the foreign show worth seeing, ' she said, with an archlittle nod and smile across to her aunt, 'nor does Aunt Ann; and Idon't quite feel like bearding all those Midway lions unguarded, unguided, and--unadvised. '

I was not slow to offer my own individual services, in such an earnestmanner that, after a little hesitation and the assurance that it wouldnot only not conflict with my 'business engagements, ' but would affordan especial pleasure, inasmuch as I had not yet 'done' the Plaisancein any thorough manner, she finally accepted my proffered services forher aunt and herself, adding at last:

'To be perfectly honest, Mr. Masters, I know Aunt Ann will never enterthat alarming, fascinating Ferris Wheel without an escort whom she cantrust should we lose our heads and want to jump out one hundred feetabove terra firma; and I am quite sure I shall want to jump. I alwaysam tempted to jump from any great height. Do you believe in thesesensations? I have heard people say that they could hardly restrainthemselves from jumping into the water whenever they ride in a boat orcross a bridge. '

'I have heard of such cases, ' I replied. And so we talked on, discussing this singular and seldom met with, but still existing fact, of single insane freaks in the otherwise perfectly sane, when thegentle Quakeress, uttering a little shocked exclamation and suddenlylowering her paper, turned toward us. 

'Pardon me! but, June, child, what did you tell me was the name of theyoung man to whom thy friend Hilda O'Neil is betrothed?'

'Trent, auntie--Gerald Trent. '

'Of Boston?'

'Of Boston; yes. Why, Aunt Ann?'

'I--I fear, then, that there is sorrow in store for thy young friend. Gerald Trent is missing. '

'Missing?'

The Quakeress held the paper toward me, I being nearest her, andpointing with a finger to some headlines half-way down the page, said:

'Perhaps thee would better read it. '

I took the paper and read aloud these lines:

 '"ANOTHER WORLD'S FAIR MYSTERY. --GERALD TRENT AMONG THE MISSING. 

 '"_Another Young Man swallowed up by the Maelstrom. _

 '"Yesterday we chronicled the disappearance of Harvey Parker who was traced by his friends to this city, where he had arrived to visit the Exposition for a week or more. He is known to have arrived at the Rock Island Depot and to have set out for the Van Buren Street Viaduct _en route_ for the Fair. This was on Monday last, five days ago, since which time, as was stated in our yesterday's issue, he has not been seen or heard from by his friends or by the police, who are searching for him. 

 '"Nearly two weeks ago, Gerald Trent, only son of Abner Trent, one of Boston's millionaire merchants, came to this city to see the Exposition and to secure accommodations for his family, who were to come later. He stopped at an up-town hotel for some days, visited the Fair, and secured apartments for his friends, which were to have been vacated for their use in a few days. 

 '"He had written to his family, telling them to await his telegram, which they would receive in three or four days. When this time had expired and no telegram came, they waited another day, and then sent him a message of inquiry. This being unanswered, they made inquiry at his up-town hotel, and then began a search, which ended in the conviction that young Trent had met with misfortune, if not foul play. On Monday last he left the hotel, saying to one of the inmates of the house that he should have possession of a fine suite of rooms, within three blocks of the north entrance, which presumably means Fifty-seventh Street, within three days, and that he meant to send for his friends that day by telegraph. No message was received at his home, as has been said, and nothing has been heard of him since that day. 

 '"Young Trent wore, rather unwisely, a couple of valuable diamonds, one in a solitaire ring, the other in a scarf-pin; he also carried a fine watch, and was well supplied with money. The police are working hard upon the case. The list of the missing seems to be increasing. "'

 * * * * *

I put the paper down and looked across at Miss Jenrys. I hadrecognised the name Hilda O'Neil as that of her Boston correspondentwhose letter I had found in the little black bag, and by associationthe name of Gerald Trent also. Miss Jenrys was looking pale andstartled. 

'Oh!' she exclaimed. 'That is what Hilda's telegram meant. '

'You have had a telegram from Boston?' I ventured. 

'Yes. You perhaps remember the letter in my bag?'

I nodded. 

'In that letter Hilda--Miss O'Neil--spoke of Mr. Trent's delay, and ofher anxiety. I did not reply to her letter at first, expecting to hearfrom or see her, for she had my address. It was only a freak mytelling her to write me through the World's Fair post-office; but whenshe did not come--on the day before I met you, in fact--I wrote just afew lines of inquiry. In reply to this I received a telegram lastevening. I will get it. ' She crossed the room and opened a littletraveller's writing-case, coming back with a yellow envelope in herhand. 'There it is, ' she said, holding it out to me. 

I took it and read the words:

'Have you seen Gerald? Hilda. '

'Did you reply to this?' I asked, as I gave it back to her. 

'At once--just the one word, "No. "'

'Do you know this young man?' I asked. 

'I have never even seen him, but I know that he bears a splendidreputation for manliness, sobriety, and studiousness. He was somethingof a bookworm at college, I believe, and has developed a taste forliterature. You see, I have heard much of him. Oh, I am sure somethinghas happened to him, some misfortune! You see, she had asked him tocall upon me, and he would never have left Hilda--not to mention hisparents and sister--five days in suspense if able to communicate withthem. '

'If he is the person you describe him, surely not. '

She gazed at me a moment, as if about to reproach me for the doubt mywords implied, and dropped her eyes. Then she answered quietly:

'The simple fact that John O'Neil, Hilda's father, has accepted him ashis daughter's _fiancé_ is sufficient for me. Mr. O'Neil is an astutelawyer and a shrewd judge of character; he has known the Trents formany years, and he already looks upon Gerald Trent as a son. '

'And Mr. O'Neil--where is he?'

'Abroad at present; it is to be regretted now. '

I took up the paper and re-read the account of young Trent'sdisappearance; and Miss Jenrys dropped her head upon her hand, andseemed to be studying the case. After a moment of silence, Miss Ross, who had been a listener from the beginning, leaned toward her nieceand said, in her gentlest tone:

'June, my child, ought we not to try and do something? What does theethink? Should we wait, and perhaps lose valuable time, while theTrents are on their way?'

Miss Jenrys lifted her head suddenly. 

'Auntie, ' she exclaimed, 'you are worth a dozen of me! You are right!We must do something. Mr. Masters, what would you do first if you wereto begin at once upon the case?'

'Get, from the chief of police if necessary, the name of the up-townhotel where young Trent was last seen. '

'And then?' she urged, in a prompt, imperious manner quite new in myacquaintance with her. 

'Obtain a description of him from some of the people there, and learnall that can be learned about him. '

'And what next?' she urged still. 

'Next, I would seek among the houses within two or three blocks fromthe north entrance for the rooms which he engaged, and which areperhaps still held for him. '

'Mr. Masters, can you do this for me?' She was sitting erect beforeme, the very incarnation of repressed activity, and I knew, as well asif she had said it, that she would never permit my refusal to weakenthe determination just taking shape in her mind to do for Hilda O'Neilwhat she could not have done for herself, and to do it boldly, promptly, openly. She saw my hesitation, and went on hurriedly:

'I know how busy you must be, how much I am asking, but you haveundertaken to follow up that brunette and find out the reason for herinterest in me, and surely this is far, far more important--a man'slife, the happiness of a family, my friend's happiness at stake, perhaps; for I am sure that no common cause, nothing but danger, illness, or death, could keep Gerald Trent from communicating with hisparents and his promised wife. Drop the brunette and all connectedwith her, Mr. Masters, and give such time as you would have given tomy affairs, and more if possible, to this search, I beg of you. Atleast, promise me that you will conduct the search, and employ as manyhelpers as you need. I'll give you carte-blanche. Deal with me as youwould with a man, and if I can aid in any other way than with mypurse, let me do it. '

As she paused, with her eyes eagerly fixed upon my face, the sweetQuakeress leaned toward me, and put out her white slender hand inearnest appeal. 

'"Thy brother's keeper;" remember that a deed of mercy is beyond andabove all works of vengeance. What is the capture of a criminal, ofmany of them, compared to the rescue, the saving, perchance, of anhonest man's life? I beg of thee, consent, help us!'

There may be men who could have resisted that appeal. I could not, anddid not. I did not throw my other responsibilities to the winds; Isimply did not think of them at the moment, when I took the soft handof the elder woman in my own, and, looking across at the younger, said:

'I will do my best, Miss Jenrys, and, that not one moment may be lost, tell me, can you describe young Trent?'

'Not very well, I fear. '

'And his picture? Your friend must have that?'

'Of course, ' half smiling. 

'Telegraph her to forward it to you at once. And has your friend atany time mentioned the hotel where young Trent would stop? Most of ourEastern visitors have a favourite stopping-place. '

'I know. ' She had made a movement toward her desk, but paused andturned toward me. 'I think it is safe to say that the two familieswould share the same house. They did in visiting the summer resorts, always; and I know where Mr. O'Neil and Mr. Trent went when theyattended the great convention in this city. ' She named the place, andI promptly arose. 

'I will go there at once; but you may as well give me the Trents'address, and permit me the use of your name. If I am wrong I willtelegraph from up-town for the name of his hotel. '

As I turned my face cityward that morning I was not only fullycommitted to the search for missing Gerald Trent, but I was determinedto convert my friend and partner to the same undertaking. 

And having now found time for sober, second thought, I had alsodetermined not to relinquish my search for the little brunette and hersecret, nor for Messrs. Bob Delbras and company. Had I notcarte-blanche?

As I left the house, intent upon my new errand, I was not surprised tosee approaching it, almost at the door, in fact, Monsieur Voisin. Weexchanged greetings at the entrance, and I had walked some distancebefore it occurred to me to wonder how it came about that MonsieurVoisin, whom I had last seen at the bootblack's stand, two blocksnorth and east, happened to be approaching Miss Jenrys' residence fromthe south. 

CHAPTER XV. 

THE KING OF CONFIDENCE MEN. 

I found a number of people at the big up-town hotel who could tell mea little of Gerald Trent, as he appeared to them after a few days'acquaintance; and these were unanimous in saying and believing thatyoung Trent was not absent by his own will. 

'It's a case of foul play, I'm sure of it, ' declared the clerk, towhom I had represented myself as 'acting for one of Mr. Trent'sfriends. ' 'Cowles saw him at the viaduct, he told me, just before heleft; that was five days ago now, and Trent was then going down tosecure those rooms and see that they were put in order. He went by theSuburban, because he wanted to go over to the avenues, and Cowles wentdown by the Whaleback. '

There was no more to be learned up-town. Gerald Trent had been lastseen at the viaduct at the foot of Van Buren Street, where the 'cattlecars, ' the 'Suburban, ' and numerous boats left the Lake Front and thewharf beyond _en route_ for the Fair City. This was at ten o'clocka. M. , or near it. 

I went back to the Fair City, as Trent had last gone, upon theSuburban train; and before noon had begun an exploration, in thevicinity of the north entrance, for the rooms engaged by him. 

Bounding the Fair City on the west was the street known as StonyIsland Avenue, and after a short survey of such near portions of thisstreet as I had not seen, I satisfied myself that young Trent wouldnot have selected it as a place of abode for his lady mother, hissister, and his sweetheart. One block westward, running south fromFifty-seventh, was a short street called Rosalie Court, and afterexploring this I pushed on to Washington Avenue, and then to Madison, running respectively one and two blocks parallel with Rosalie Court. 

Something impelled me to pass by Washington Avenue, upon which MissJenrys and her aunt were lodged, and to explore the farther avenuefirst. 

'If the rooms are within two or three blocks of the north entrance, ' Isaid to myself, 'and if they are upon this street, I shall find themwithin one block north or south from this corner, ' meaningFifty-seventh Street, and I turned southward and began my search inearnest. 

Not long since this part of the city had been a beautiful suburb, andthe pretty cottages and more stately villas were, for the most part, isolated in the midst of their own grounds. Every other house itseemed, and some of the most pretentious, bore upon paling, piazza, ordoor-post the legend 'Rooms to Let, ' and I applied and entered at anumber of handsome and home-like portals, first upon the east side andthen upon the west, crossing at Fifty-eighth Street to turn my facenorthward. 

At Fifty-seventh I paused. 'It is something more than two blocks fromthe Fair entrance to this point, ' I mused, 'and therefore I ought togo but one block in this direction. ' But when I had traversed theblock to Fifty-sixth Street, with no success, I crossed the street andwent on, saying, 'It's easy for a stranger to be mistaken in a matterof distance. ' At the north end of this square stood a largeold-fashioned mansion, of a decidedly Southern type. It stood uponterraced grounds, and was a dignified reminder of better days, withits stained and time-roughened stuccos, and the worn paint about theornate cornices. 'Rooms to Let' was the sign upon a tree-trunk, andafter some doubt and hesitation, I went up the terraced steps, crossedthe lawn, and rang a bell much newer than its surroundings. 

Once admitted to the wide, inviting hall, with its glimpse of cheerfuldining-room beyond, and a large cool parlour opening at the side, Ifelt that Trent might well have sought quarters in this roomy, airyhouse; and when the 'lady of the house, ' a woman small, elderly, delicate, and refined, appeared before me, I put my questionhopefully. 

'Madam, have you among the inmates of your house a Mr. Gerald Trent?'I saw by her sudden change of countenance that the name was notstrange to her, and was not surprised when she informed me that a Mr. Trent had engaged her best suite of rooms for himself and four others;that he had called upon her on the Monday previous, paid her anadvance upon the rooms, and informed her that his friends would arrivein three days, if not sooner. 

'They should have been here, ' she concluded, 'the day beforeyesterday, but they have not appeared, and we have had no word fromthem. It is very inconvenient for me. Of course, the rooms are secureduntil Monday, but I have no means of knowing if they will come then;or when I may consider them at my disposal. '

It was evident she had not seen the papers, and I at once put thenotice in her hand, and told her the nature of my business. 

There seemed but one opinion of Gerald Trent. When she had read thepaper and heard my statement, she said, at once, what the inmates ofthe hotel had said before her:

'Something has happened him. He never went away like this of his ownaccord. I never saw a more simple and sincere young man. ' And then, asif by an afterthought, 'He had too much money about him; he was toowell dressed, and--I don't think he was of a suspicious nature. '

I learned from her very little to help my further search. Trent hadmet none of the guests of the house upon either of his visits there. In reply to a question, she had said:

'He seemed in the best of spirits when he paid the advance money andwent away; and he said that he meant to spend the day in thePlaisance. I remember that he laughed when he said this, and addedsomething to the effect that he wanted to decide, before the ladiescame, where it would pay to go on the Plaisance, and what were thethings they would not care for. He had a rather frank and boyish wayof expressing himself. '

'And you think he went from here to the Fair?'

'I believe he went from here to Midway Plaisance. There is an entranceon this street, three blocks south, and I walked to the door with himand pointed the way to it. '

And this was all. Of course I took from her lips, as from the peopleup-town, a minute description of Trent's dress and appearance on theday of his disappearance, and then I went back to the Fair by theMidway gate, and wished impatiently for the time to come when I shouldmeet Brainerd and consult with him. This I knew would not be until alate hour, and as I lounged down the Plaisance I began to look aboutfor the handsome guard, in whom I had taken a decided interest. 

I found him easily--as erect, soldierly, attentive to duty asusual--and we spent the greater part of two hours chatting, while wepaced up and down Midway. He was a bright talker, and he entertainedme with a number of amusing incidents, graphically related, andillustrative of the life of the Plaisance. 

During the two hours, however, I broke the monotony of a continuoustramp by an excursion, now on one side and then on the other; now tosee the glass-blowers; now the submarine exhibit; and, lastly, to theIrish village that clustered about Blarney Castle. 

It was on my return from this that, as I approached him, I saw, withsome surprise, that he was in earnest conversation with a woman, andas I came nearer and he shifted his position slightly, I saw that thewoman was none other than that _ignis fatuus_ the brunette. Her backwas toward me, and she was squarely facing him, so that, as I camenearer and directly toward them, I caught his eye, and, nodding with agesture which I think he understood, I turned away and watched themanoeuvres of 'the little mystery, ' as Brainerd so often called thebrunette, wondering if this unknown guard was also to be enmeshed inthe plot she seemed to be weaving. And then there flashed into my mindthat first meeting with the guard, and his avowed acquaintance withMiss Jenrys. Was this interview in any way connected with orconcerning her?

The brunette had not seen me; of that I was quite assured, and even soI had small fear of recognition, for while I had not, on the occasionof our two meetings face to face, worn any disguise, I was confidentthat the widely different garments worn on the two occasions, togetherwith my ability to elongate, twist, and change my features, and toalter the pitch of my voice, was masquerade sufficient. But I did notdesire to become known to this anomalous personage, and I lingeredhere and there, within sight and at a safe distance, until I saw hernod airily and trip away, flinging a smile over her shoulder. 

In the time spent in waiting the end of this little dialogue I haddecided that I must know this young man--so reticent, yet sofrank--better, and that I must win his confidence, and to do thisperfect frankness, I knew, would be my best aid. 

When the 'mystery' was safely out of sight, and on this occasion I hadno desire to follow her, I rejoined the guard, and I was sure that Isurprised upon his face a look of perplexity and annoyance, whichvanished when I put my hand upon his arm, and, falling into step withhim, began:

'I hope you understood my meaning when I went into ambush so suddenly?I really did not care to encounter your friend. '

'That is hardly the right name, seeing that the lady is a stranger tome, ' he replied, slightly smiling. 

'Indeed!' I retorted. 'Then may I wager that I know what she had tosay to you?' I saw him flush, and his lips compress themselves as ifto hold back some hasty speech, but I went lightly on: 'That is theyoung person who claimed the bag belonging to your acquaintance--youremember the circumstance--and if she is still as angry at me as shewas on that day she was doubtless imploring you to "run me in, " andput me in more irons than Christopher Columbus ever wore. Honestlynow, am I not right?'

He was silent and seemed perplexed again, and I promptly changed mytone. 'If I am mistaken, and if the young woman is someone you know, Ibeg your pardon; but, remembering how she turned her look upon you onthe occasion of that first meeting----'

'One moment, ' he broke in. 'It is possible that we have been unjust inthis case, and I think I may tell you, without a breach of confidence, what this young lady'--I thought he emphasized the 'lady'somewhat--'who by-the-by is a stranger to me, had to say just now. '

I bowed my assent, lest speech might cause a discussion, and he wenton:

'The young lady, after excusing herself for doing what she termed anunconventional thing in addressing me, asked at once after you. '

'After me? But--go on. '

'She spoke of you as "the person" I was talking with on the day whenher friend lost her bag and she tried to reclaim it, and when Idisclaimed all knowledge of you, she told me how "cavalierly"--that isalso her word--you refused to yield up the bag, and how anxiously herfriend was hoping to secure that bag--even yet. '

'Ah! Indeed!'

'You will pardon me, ' he went on, not heeding my interjection, andspeaking with marked courtesy, 'but I almost fear you have mistakenthis young lady. '

'Why?'

'Because she not only gave me the name of the owner of the bag, butshe assured me that the lady recognised me in passing, a thing which Iregret, and she called me by my name. '

Here was a coil indeed. My head was a nest of queer thoughts andsuspicions, but I kept to the subject by asking:

'And may I ask how you replied to all this?'

'In the only way I could. You were a stranger, who was anxious, I feltsure, to restore the bag to its owner. You had assured me of thismuch. As to your address, I could not give it, and your name I did notknow; but I added the promise that should I chance to meet you, as Imight, I would ask you to send the bag to the lady's address. '

'Pardon--was this the lady's proposition?'

'No. She asked me to get it from you--the bag. '

'And to restore it through her?'

'Yes. '

'And the address? Did she give you the young lady's address, theowner's, or her own?'

'She gave the owner's address. '

'Then if you will give it to me I can promise that to-morrow will seethe little bag in its owner's possession. '

He took from his pocket a visiting card, upon which was engraved thename June E. Jenrys, and underneath in pencil the address. 

I had seen just such a card, minus the pencilled address, in MissJenrys' card-tray on Washington Avenue; and that pencilled address! Itwas that of the café to which Miss Jenrys was to send her noteconcerning the evening excursion. 

I had not spoken of the adventure of the bag during the afternoon, andI had not meant to do so. Since our last meeting my position inrelation to Miss Jenrys had been changed. I was now in some degree theguardian of her interests, and while I believed in and admired thishandsome and secretive stranger guard, and might have entrusted himwith a secret all my own, perhaps, my mouth was closed concerning theyoung lady whom he professed to know yet was unwilling to meet. 

As I looked at the tall, lithe figure, the erect head and handsomeface, I wondered what this mystery could be which caused him towithhold his name from those who might be his friends; to shun alovely girl whom he knew and in whom he was evidently interested; and, above all, which linked him, as was now fairly proven, through thewily brunette, with the strange pursuit of Miss Jenrys. Was itpossible, I asked myself, that this medley of mysterious happeningscould reach back through the brunette to Greenback Bob, thecounterfeiter, and Delbras, the king of confidence men?

CHAPTER XVI. 

THAT LITTLE DECOY. 

I stowed the false address in my waistcoat pocket, and after promisingto see the guard again on the next day, a promise which I fullyintended to keep, and exchanging a few friendly but importantsentences with him, we shook hands and separated. We had grown almostfriendly in our manner each toward each, in spite of the fact thatneither knew the name of the other. He had told me where he lodged, among the number who were housed within the grounds; and we had agreedto dine together at an early date at a place which he had recommendedin reply to my inquiry after a satisfactory place to dine within thewalls of the Fair. He had dined there regularly, he assured me, and Iwas glad to know this, for I foresaw that I might need his help in thedefence of Miss Jenrys and her interests, and I could not know toomuch of his whereabouts. 

'Till we meet and wine and dine, ' I said flippantly, upon leaving him, little dreaming how soon and in what manner we were to meet again. 

As I left the Plaisance the handsome guard was still the subject of mythoughts. That he had told me the truth concerning his interview withthe brunette I did not doubt, but was it the whole truth?

All that he had rehearsed to me could have been said in much less thanhalf the time she had spent in brisk conversation with the guard, whose part seemed to have been that of listener. 

Not that I had any right to demand or expect his full confidence;still, why had he withheld it; and what was it that the brunette hadslipped into his hand at parting?

Another thing, we had planned to dine together soon, and he knew thatI was, or seemed to be, quite at leisure, while he would be relievedfrom duty very soon, and yet--well, he had certainly not grasped atthe opportunity. 

I did not expect to meet Brainerd until a late hour, and I had decidedto do nothing further in the matter of the Trent disappearance untilwe could talk it over. In fact, there was little to be done until Ihad seen Miss Jenrys and her aunt, and reported to them, as I hadengaged to do at seven o'clock. At this hour I called and made mymeagre report, which, however, was better than nothing, as the ladieswere good enough to declare. 

They had remained at home all day, and late in the afternoon receiveda message from Miss O'Neil. The picture, it assured her, would be sentat once. 

A little to my surprise, I found that the ladies were prepared to goto town in company with Monsieur Voisin, to hear a famous monologueartist. He had persuaded them, Miss Jenrys said, rather against theirwishes, but they had at last decided that this would be better than topass the evening as they had already passed the day, in uselessspeculation, discussion, and anxiety. 

Of course I agreed with them; but I came away early, not caring toencounter the handsome Frenchman again, and I re-entered the gates ofthe Fair City a little out of tune, and wandered about thebrightly-illuminated and beautiful Court of Honour, finding, for thefirst time in this place, that time was dragging, and wishing it weretime to meet Dave, and begin what I knew would be a lively andtwo-sided discussion. 

At eight o'clock there was music upon the Grand Plaza, and theband-stand was surrounded by a merry, happy crowd. At nine the bandwas playing popular airs, and a picked chorus that had been singing inChoral Hall in the afternoon was filling the great space with vocalmelody, in which from time to time the crowd joined with enthusiasm. 

Coming nearer this centre of attraction, I saw, seated near thewater's edge, and quite close to the great Fountain, the littlebrunette and a companion. It was impossible to mistake the brunette, for she wore the costume of the afternoon--a somewhat conspicuouscostume, as I afterward remembered; but her companion puzzled me. Shewas tall and slight, and quietly well dressed, and her face could notwell be seen under the drooping hat which she wore. There seemed, atthe very first, something familiar about this hat. It wasbroad-brimmed, slightly curved upward at the sides, and bent to shadethe face and fall over the hair at the back; but long dark plumes fellat one side, and a third stood serenely erect in front; and suddenly Iremembered that I had seen Miss Jenrys wear such a hat upon the day ofour first meeting. But Miss Jenrys, in a dainty white theatre bonnet, had gone up town; and there was no monopoly of drooping hats andfeathers--so I told myself. 

But I wondered what mischief, new or old, the brunette was bent upon, and I decided to give her the benefit of my unoccupied attention. 

From time to time the two changed their positions, but I noted thatthey kept upon the outskirts of the throng, and seemed to avoid thewell-lighted spaces, sitting or standing in the shadow of the greatstatues, the columns, and angles. 

For nearly an hour the music continued, vocal for the most part, andthe crowd kept in place, singing and applauding by turns. I had beenstanding near the east façade of the Administration Building for sometime, having followed the brunette and her companion to that side ofthe Plaza, when I saw a group of Columbian Guards, evidently off duty, place themselves against the wall quite near me. They were strollinggaily, and after a little, as the singers began a national anthem, some of them joined in the chorus or refrain. It was amateurishsinging enough, until suddenly a new voice lifted itself amongthem--a tenor voice--sweet, strong, high, and thoroughly cultured. Iturned to look closer, and saw that the singer was my friend, thehandsome guard. He was standing slightly aloof from the others, andwhen he saw that his music was causing many heads to turn, he suddenlyceased singing, and in spite of the remonstrances of his companions, moved away from them, slowly at first, and then with more decision ofmovement, until he was out of their sight in the crowd. 

'He wants to avoid them, ' I said to myself, 'and he seems to belooking for someone. ' And then I turned my attention to the brunetteonce more. 

At ten o'clock the music had ceased, and the people were scatteredupon the Plaza. The electric fountains had ceased to send upmulti-coloured spray, and some of the lights in the glittering chainsabout the Grand Basin were fading out. On the streets and avenuesleading away from the Plaza there was still sufficient light, but theWooded Island, which as yet had not participated in the greatilluminations, was not brilliantly lighted. In fact, under the trees, and among the winding shrub-bordered paths, there were many shadowednooks and gloomy recesses. 

And yet it was towards the Wooded Island that the brunette and hercompanion led me, wondering much, and keeping at a distance to avoidthe glances often sent back by the little adventuress. 

I had just stepped off the path to avoid the gleam of light that fellacross it from the light just at the curve, when a quick step soundedclose by, and a tall figure passed me in haste, going the way the twohad taken--the form of the handsome guard. 

I had followed them past the east front of the Electricity Building, and between it and the canal, and then across the bridge opposite, andmidway between the north front of the Electricity and MinesBuildings, across the little island of the Hunters' Camp, and acrossthe second bridge, and it was near this last spot that the guard hadpassed me. 

A few paces beyond me he seemed at a loss, and paused to look abouthim; and as he did so, the two women, who had made a short-cut acrossthe forbidden grass, came out into the path directly between us, andretraced their steps toward the bridge. 

It was past ten o'clock now, and very quiet just here, and the lampsat the ends of the bridge, the only lights just here, seemed to meless brilliant than usual. As the two women came toward me, somewhatslowly, I drew back into the shelter of the bushes, and they passedme, speaking low. I remember that, at the moment, the thought of oursingular isolation in this spot crossed my mind, and I wondered why wedid not see somewhere a second Columbian Guard on duty. 

And now my guard passed me hurriedly, looking neither to right norleft, and I crept forward across the grass and under the trees. Icould now see that the women had stopped upon the bridge nearest theisland, and on the side facing eastward, and looking over the face ofthe lagoon at its widest, and across to the silent and now almostutterly darkened Manufactures Building, and that the guard had joinedthem. Rather, that he was speaking with the brunette, while the other, with bent head, stood a little aloof. 

And then, as I looked and wondered, two figures arose suddenly, or soit seemed, from the base of the statue at the end of the bridge, justbehind the guard, and as he bent his head toward the little decoythere was a silent, forward spring, a sudden heaving movement, and asplash. With a shout for help I bounded forward, tearing off my coatas I ran. I was conscious of four flying figures that passed me, hastening islandward, but my thoughts were all for that figure thathad gone over into the lagoon silently and without a struggle. 

As I tore down the bank at the side of the pier, I heard low voices, and could see a boat in the shadow of the bridge; and as I was aboutto plunge into the water, a voice said sharply:

'Keep out, mate, we've got him!' And in a moment the boat came out, and I saw two men were supporting the guard, half in and half out ofthe water, and the other pushing the skiff to shore. 

As I stepped into the water to their assistance, I saw at one glancethat my friend had fallen into the able hands of two of the emergencycrew, whose duty it was to patrol the lagoons by night, and that hewas insensible. 

'He struck our boat in falling, ' one of them said to me, 'and I'mafraid he's got a hurt head. Too bad; if he hadn't fainted we'd 'a'winged one of that crowd, sure. '

CHAPTER XVII. 

'THOSE TWO WOMEN. '

My friend the guard had received a blow upon the head, painful but notfatal. He would be about in a few days, the hospital surgeon said. Butin spite of the fact that I visited the hospital every day, five dayspassed before I was allowed to speak to him or he was allowed to talk. 

I was very anxious for this opportunity, for I had now a new reasonfor my growing interest in the young fellow who so stubbornly refusedto give me a name by which to call him. He was enrolled among theguards as L. Carr, and I at once adopted this name in speaking to orof him. 

I had determined at the first moment possible to have a confidentialtalk with him, confidential upon my part, at least, and I meant to winhis confidence if possible. 

In the meantime I had laid all the story of this day's adventuresbefore Dave Brainerd, beginning with the discovery in the newspaper, and my search up-town and down for trace of missing Gerald Trent, andI ended by adding to all the rest a few ideas and opinions of my own, which caused Dave, in spite of his lately expressed lofty opinion ofmy imaginative qualities, first to open his eyes, and then to roarwith laughter. 

But he was my hearty second at the last, even to the point of agreeingwith me that, if we could accomplish but the one end, it were betterto find and rescue Gerald Trent, if he were living and in duress, which we both doubted, or to solve the mystery of his fate if dead, than to arrest a pair, or a trio, of counterfeiters, or possiblediamond robbers. As to Miss Jenrys and the mysterious guard, he wouldno more have given up the thought of solving the problem of thebrunette's pursuit of these two than would I at that moment. But weneeded all the light possible, and we agreed at once that to obtainthis it would be wise, at this point, to make certain confidences tothe two persons most interested. 

 * * * * *

As to the elusive brunette, her 'shadow' had followed her for daysmore faithfully and at closer quarters than we could have done, because of his small stature and his easily managed 'lightningchanges, ' managed by the aid of a reversible jacket, three or fourvaricoloured silk handkerchiefs, and two or three hats or caps, allstuffed into convenient pockets. But his report was, after all, farfrom complete or conclusive. 

'I've follered her, ' he declared, 'till my laigs ached, an' I neverseen a woman 'at c'ud git over the ground like her. Ever sence thatfirst trip my laigs 'a' bin stiff!'

The boy had followed her on the first day by devious ways, and untilafter mid-day, without losing sight of her; and had lost her at last, as Dave and myself had lost our quarry, in the intricacies of thePlaisance. 

'Ye see, ' Billy had said, ''twas this way. She'd stopped afore one ofthem Arab places'--he meant Turkish--'where there wuz a pay show, an'she must 'a' got her ticket ahead, fer she jest sort o' held out acard or somethin' afore his eyes and went right in, an' I had ter waittill two or three fellers got tickets 'fore 'twas my turn, an' when Igot in she wa'n't nowhere. ' A look of boyish disgust emphasized theemphasis here. 'But wherever she was, she stayed a good while, ' Billwent on, 'an' then, all at once, out she come ag'in, an' went intoanother big place clos' by, an' I went in too that time. She wentround behind a big table, where they had piles o' jimcracks, an'popped behind a curtain, an' jest as I was gittin' scared for fear shewuz gone agi'n, out she come an' took the place of a tired-lookin'woman that set on a high stool sellin' the jimcracks. She had took offher hat an' things, an' she had on a little red jacket all spangledup, an' a red cap, like the Turks all wear, with a big gold tassel onit, an' she'd made herself blacker round the eyes, an' redder in thecheeks, an' she looked jest sassy. '

At least it was something to have our theories in regard to thelurking places of this trio verified. It was something to feel sure, as we now did, that these people were quartered in the Plaisance; butI felt very sure that they had more than one hiding-place, probablyeach of them a separate one, as well as a general rendezvous. 

I questioned the lad closely regarding the 'tired-lookin' woman, ' whomhe described as 'tallish, an' slim, an' not much on looks, ' butdressed in Turkish fez, and Zouave jacket, and 'painted thick. '

He had watched her till evening came, and then the tallish woman hadreturned and the brunette had stepped behind the curtain once more. 

'I watched that doggoned curtain, ' Bill declared, 'till 'twas time toshut up shop, but she didn't come out, an' I couldn't git in. '

'Did anyone come out from behind that curtain while you waited, Bill?'I asked him carelessly. 

'Yes, there was; pretty soon after she went in a young Turk came out, smallish, with a little dudey moustache. He had a pitcher in his hand, an' he smacked the tired woman on the back, an' stuck the pitcherunder her nose an' went out. '

'Did he come back?'

'Come to think, I guess he didn't; I know he didn't. '

'Well, Bill, ' I said, 'I can't blame you; I only blame myself; but ifyou should see that woman go behind a curtain or door again, andpresently see a man come out, if he is the same in size and looksanything like the one you saw to-night, you just follow him, andyou'll be on the right track. '

'Jim-mi-netti!'

'And, Bill, I want you to be on the Plaisance in the morning early, and if the brunette starts out, don't lose her. If she has notappeared by noon you may go down to the Plaza and look about there, but get back to Midway by three o'clock; she'll show herself theresooner or later. '

The next day Bill had nothing to report. The day following he hadfollowed her, late in the afternoon, when she had emerged from theTurkish bazaar down Midway, and had seen her stop and speak to one ofthe guards, then she had left the grounds by a Midway gate 'oppositeHagenbeck's lion circus, ye know. '

'And I followed her, ' he continued, 'till she come to that rest'runtwhere you an' me see her git the letter; she turned off right by theMidway gate, and went acrost to Wash'n'ton Avenue, an' down that tillshe turned to come to the rest'runt. 'Twas most supper-time, and shedidn't come out no more, I'm sure, for I watched till most midnight, an' there wa'n't no back way, I know, for I looked. '

I could well believe that she had taken a room as near the grounds aspossible, where she might rest when rest was required, and she was offduty, and I did not doubt but that Delbras and Greenback Bob had eacha similar lair outside the White City, but conveniently near it. 

This last report had been made to us on the morning of my visit toMiss Jenrys, Bill having appeared at our quarters at an early hour, and I had been studying the expediency of letting Miss Jenrys into thehistory of her brunette acquaintance, as far as I myself knew it, before visiting the two ladies, at last deciding that I would wait alittle and be guided by circumstances, the episode of Gerald Trent'sdisappearance finally putting it altogether out of my mind. 

On the morning after the attempt to drown the guard, Dave and I waitedfor a time in our room, expecting a report from Bill, which might, wehoped, throw some light upon the events of the night before. But hedid not appear; and after breakfasting together, Dave went back to ourroom to await him, while I made haste toward the Emergency Hospital, where our wounded guard lay, carefully watched, skilfully attended, and not permitted to talk or receive visitors. 

Assured that his recovery would be only a matter of days, I went backto find Dave still alone, and this time we both set out, after leavinga message with the janitor, Dave to look after the men who had beendetailed upon our business in different directions and to hear theirreports, and I to see that more men were at work upon the Trent casebefore I ventured, as I was most anxious to do, upon a visit to MissJenrys and her aunt. 

Having done what I could in the Trent case, I found it nearing noonwhen I approached their place of residence, but I had little fear offinding them absent, and was hastening on, only a few paces from theirdoor, when I saw Monsieur Voisin come hastily out, and after seemingto hesitate a moment upon the threshold, run down the steps and moverapidly away southward. I could see that his face wore a sombre look, and I wondered if he had seen me in the hasty glance he had cast abouthim. There were others upon the pavement between him and myself, and Itrusted that he had not; still, I felt a strange reluctance to beingseen by this man so often in the same place, and I slackened my paceand finally stood still, reading the 'to lets' upon the oppositehouses, until he turned the corner and went, as I was very sure, tothe Midway entrance a little way beyond. 

I found the ladies at home, and eager to hear the little I had to tellthem regarding the Trent case. I had put a good man in the hotel whereTrent had stopped, to find out, if possible, whether the youngBostonian had been spotted and followed from that place by any swelladventurer; and I arranged with the mistress of the place where Trenthad secured rooms to hold them until I heard from Boston, whether anyor all would come on and occupy the rooms and assist in the search. Miss Jenrys felt sure they would come, all of them. 

'Hilda O'Neil will not rest until she is here, as near the place wherehe was last seen as possible. You were very thoughtful to secure therooms, ' she sighed heavily. 'I suppose now we must simply wait untilwe receive the picture?' she added. 

'There is little else to do, ' I replied. 'Of course I have had otheradvertisements inserted in various papers, and have offered a reward, as you directed. '

'Ah, ' she sighed again, 'we may hear from that. '

'I doubt it, ' I replied. 'If he has been abducted, it is too soon forthat, ' and then I turned the conversation by saying:

'I have some news from your friend, the brunette. '

'My friend! Mr. Masters!'

'Pardon me; your satellite, then. She was revolving near you the daybefore yesterday. ' At this point the door opened and a voice said:

'Miss Ross, the laundress is here about your washing. '

Miss Ross rose with alacrity, a benevolent smile upon her sweet face. 

'Mr. Masters, ' she said, 'thee must save thy story or tell it twiceover, for I must beg thee to excuse me now. I can't send this poorwoman away, and I ought not to make her wait. '

'It's one of Aunt Ann's protégées, ' explained Miss Jenrys, 'and shehas come by appointment. '

Mentally thankful for this interruption, I assured Miss Ross that mystory should wait, and when she had left us alone I turned at once toMiss Jenrys. 

'I am glad of this opportunity, ' I began at once, ' for I havesomething to tell you which I prefer to make known to you first, although I should have told my story, even in your aunt's presence, ifnecessary, before leaving to-day. '

And as directly as possible I told of my acquaintance with thehandsome guard. 

Beginning with her encounter with the Turkish palanquin-bearers, Idescribed my interview with the guard, repeated his words, hisquestions concerning her welfare, his statement that she was not astranger to him, and then, with her interest and her curiosity wellaroused, I described him. 

'I wonder who it can be?' she had murmured before I began mydescription, and I kept a secret watch upon her features, while Isaid:

'He is a tall young fellow, and very straight and square-shouldered, though somewhat slender. He is blond, with close-cropped hair that isquite light, almost golden, and inclined to curl where it has attainedan inch of growth. He wears a moustache that is but little darker thanhis hair, and is kept close-trimmed. He has a broad, full forehead;honest, open blue eyes, not pale blue, but a fine deep colour, andthey meet one frankly and fearlessly. His mouth is really too handsomefor a man, but his chin is firm enough to counterbalance that. Hismanners are fine, and he has evidently been reared a gentleman. Ichanced to hear him sing last night, and he has a wonderfully hightenor voice--an unusual voice; clear and sweet, and soft in thehighest notes. '

Before I had finished my description, I saw clearly that sherecognised the picture. Her colour had changed and changed again, fromred to pale. But I made no pause, telling how I had seen him inconversation with the little brunette, and what he had told me of thatconversation, and then I described the adventure of the previousnight. 

When I had reached the point where I had offered my card and he hadrefused to give me a false name, I saw her eyes glow and her head liftitself unconsciously; when I described him in converse with the wilybrunette, a slight frown crossed her face, and her little foot tappedan impatient tattoo quite unconsciously; when I pictured him asfollowing the two women toward the Wooded Island, her head was liftedagain and her lip curled scornfully. But when I had reached the pointwhere the two figures, springing suddenly from the darkness behindhim, had hurled him over the parapet into the deepest part of thelagoon, a low moan burst from her lips, and she put out her handsentreatingly. 

'Was he----Quick! tell me!'

'He was rescued, unconscious but living, by two of the emergency crewwho guard the lagoons by night, who, luckily, were lying in theirskiff under the shadow of the bridge engaged in watching themysterious movements of the very men who were lurking behind the bigpedestal on the other side of the pier, awaiting the signal from thewomen, their confederates. In going over, his head was quite seriouslyhurt. At first it was thought that he had struck the edge of the boatin falling, but the doctor says it was a blow from some bluntinstrument with a rounded end--some manner of club, no doubt. '

'And now--how--is he?' she faltered. 

'In very good hands, and doing as well as can be expected. I was notallowed to see him, and he does not seem fully conscious, although thedoctor says he may recover if all goes well. '

'Where is he?' Her face was very pale, but there was a change in hervoice, a sudden firmness, and a total lack of hesitancy. 

'At the Emergency Hospital in the Fair grounds. ' I had purposely madehis case as serious as I consistently could, and I now made theimportant plunge. 'Miss Jenrys, I have taken a great interest in thisyoung man from the first. He is a fine fellow, and now, added to thispersonal liking, is the duty I owe this helpless young man, whoevidently has an enemy, and that enemy seemingly the very person whohas been dogging you so persistently and so mysteriously. You see thestrangeness of the complication. Are you willing to help me?'

'I?' she hesitated. 'How?'

'This young man knows you. Do you not know him?'

'I--almost believe so. '

'And--are you under any vow or promise of secrecy? He lies there, unknown, friendless; and he has an enemy near at hand. I want to servehim, but to do this intelligently I must know him. '

She hesitated a moment, and then, to my surprise, arose quite calmly, went to her desk, and came back with a photograph in her hand. 

'Look at that, ' she said, as she held it out to me. 

It was a group of tennis-players upon a sunlit lawn, one of thoseinstantaneous pictures in which amateurs delight; but it was clear andthe faces were very distinct. One of them I recognised at once as thesubject of our conversation. He wore in the picture a light tennissuit, and his handsome head was bare; but I knew the face at once, andtold her so. 

'That, ' she said, 'is a picture of a Mr. Lossing, whom I knew quitewell for a season in New York. Shortly before Lent he left the city, it was said, and I have heard and known nothing of him since. '

'And--pardon me--it's very unusual for a young man of society to takeup the work he has chosen. Do you know any reason for this?'

'None whatever. He seemed to be well supplied with money. So far as Ican judge, I confess I never thought before of his fortune or lack ofit. ' A sudden flush mantled her face, and her eyes dropped. I wonderedif she was thinking of that letter to Hilda O'Neil. 

'It's a delicate point, ' I said musingly. 'If we could learn somethingof his situation. He is very proud. Do you think that your friend, Monsieur Voisin, might possibly know something----'

She put up her hand quickly, imperiously. 

'If Mr. Lossing has chosen to conceal himself from his friends, wehave no right to make his presence here known to Monsieur Voisin. ' Shechecked herself and coloured beautifully again. 

'You are right, ' I said promptly. I had no real thought of askingMonsieur Voisin into our councils, and I had now verified thesuspicions I had held from the first--fitting the guard's statementand his personality into the story her letter told--that he was theMr. Lossing from whom she had parted so stormily in the conservatoryon the night of her aunt's reception. 

And now, as I consulted my watch, she leaned toward me, and suddenlythrew aside her reserve. 

'Can you guess, ' she asked eagerly, 'how he came to meet those womenin that way? It was a meeting, was it not?'

'No doubt of that; and it was also a scheme to entrap him. '

'But--how did they do it? How did they lure him to that bridge--thosetwo women?'

I could not suppress a smile. 

'Can you not guess? It must be only a guess on my part, you know, butI fancy that in her talk with him that afternoon the brunette led himto think that you would not be unwilling to see him. I particularlynoted that the woman with her was of about your height, and that shewore a hat much like the one worn by you on the day I first saw you. Now that I recall their manoeuvres of last night, I remember thatthe hat almost concealed her face, and that they kept in the shadow. '

She did not follow up the subject, but after a moment said:

'Do--do you think I might be allowed to see him if I went with auntieto the hospital? I mean now--to-day! Could you not say that I--that wewere--that we knew him?'

'It is quite important that you should do so, ' I declaredunblushingly. 'You are the only one who can identify him; and now if Iam to tell Miss Ross all these things----'

'Pardon me, ' she broke in, 'if it will not matter, I--I would rathertell Aunt Ann; at least, about Mr. Lossing. '

I arose hastily. 'In that case I will leave it to you willingly, andif you will come with your aunt, say at two o'clock, I will meet youat any place you may choose, and take you to the hospital; or wouldyou rather go alone?'

'Oh, no, no!' she exclaimed. 'We shall be glad of your escort. Indeed, I should fear to venture else. '

CHAPTER XVIII. 

'IF YOU'LL FIND ONE, I'LL FIND THE OTHER. '

It was through the boy Bill that we learned finally how the brunetteand her companions made their escape from Wooded Island after theattack upon the guard. 

I found the lad waiting upon my return from Washington Avenue, andfull of the excitement of his story. 

He had struck upon her trail not long after she had parted from theguard, it would seem. He had been watching upon Midway Plaisance untilthoroughly weary, when he caught sight of her going east, and followedher to the Turkish bazaar as before. This time she did not retirebehind the curtains, much to his relief, but she spoke a few words tothe 'tired-looking woman' behind the bedecked sales-table, and thenleft as she came, going straight to the entrance upon Midway whichopened upon Madison Avenue, as on a former occasion, and from thence, as before, past Miss Jenrys' rooms, and so to her own at the café. 

Here, again, Bill was obliged to loiter three long hours, and then awoman passed him so close that her face was distinctly visible, andentered the place. He recognised her at once as the woman of the'tired' face, though she was now dressed quite smartly and with noremnant of the Oriental in her costume. This I gathered from hisdescription of her attire, which, while it failed to give things theirproper names as set down in the books of fashion, was sufficientlyvivid, and enabled me to easily recognise the person who had aided thelittle brunette by impersonating Miss Jenrys the night before. She hadentered the café and disappeared again through a side-door, to return, before long, in company with the brunette. They had then partaken of ahearty meal at one of the café tables, and had entered the Fairgrounds at dusk. 

'I didn't have no trouble a-trackin' 'em, though I had been dreadin' areg'lar bo-peep dance, seein' how late 'twas gettin'. But they jestsa-auntered along, quite slow, only I noticed they was always carefulnot to git into no strong lights; they kept on the shady side ofthings, 'specially the tallest one with the big cow-boy hat. So I jestmonkeyed round till I see 'em start to go round the 'LectricityB'ildin'. Then I jest slipped over between the 'Lectric an' Mines, yeknow, and come ahead of 'em jest as they turned to'rds the bridges. Itell ye, ' he declared with enthusiasm in a bad cause, they couldn't'a' struck a better place 'an that there second bridge! First, there'sthe t'other bridge, and that little island on one side, and mosteverybody goin' round the Mines on t'other side, 'cause 'twas bestlighted; then there was them little bushy islands, an' all that lagoonon the west of 'em; an' on the east not a speck of light, 'cept a fewclean acrost to the Lib'ral Arts shop, and most all them little lampson the island gone out. I tell ye, Mr. Masters, I felt sort o' gladwhen I seen ye come acrost an' hide in the bushes. '

'Oh, you saw me, did you?' I said, to hasten him on. 

'I should say! I was a-layin' flat 'longside of them little shrubs onthe other side the path, right where you turned off. '

'Well, go on, Bill. '

'Wal, sir, I was so busy watchin' them women that I didn't noticenothin' else 'cept you an' the guard--of course I thought he wastendin' to his biz. When they stopped to talk on the bridge, I begunto crawl along closte to the bridge, an' then--you know how it was allcomin' so suddin? When I see the feller go over, an' seen you startto'rds the water, I jest took after the others. Well, sir, 'twas tooslick the way they managed. Right alongside them willers there was oneo' them little skiffs that's stuck round the island for show, or onejest like 'em. It lay jest where that little woody strip 'ud comeright 'tween the island and the other side, an' 'twas all dark there. Wal, they all run that way crost the grass, an' me after 'em, close as'twas safe to git. Two of 'em, the tall woman an' one of the men, gotinto the skiff, an' the other two struck off north, keepin' on thegrass an' under the shade. I follered after 'em; they went prettyfast, too, till they come most to them Hoodoo tea-shops, you know; wehadn't met a soul so far, but it was lighter there, and I see therewas a guard comin' to'rds 'em, an' what d' ye s'pose they did?'

'Oh, go on, Billy!'

'Wal, I had got pretty closte, and I seen them whisperin' together, an' then it seemed to me that they wasn't so far away as they had beena minit before. Then flash came a fizz match, an' sure enough therethey was, facin' to'rds me, an' the very way they'd come, an' holdin'the match to the ground. Jest then the guard come up, an' they toldhim they or she had dropped their purse, an' she was lookin' for it;an' when he asked when, she said, "Oh, an hour ago, " when they walkedacross the island to see the Hor--horty----'

'Horticultural?'

'--'Tyculchural place lighted; an' the guard said he feared theywouldn't find it, an' went on, tellin' them they'd better hurry out;an' then he went back the way they'd come, crost the bridge an' all, an' every little way they'd light a match, an' course I got so close Iheard her say, "It must 'a' been when I fell down. " I thoughtsomebody got a fall when they run from the bridge down into thebushes. '

'Well, did you find where they went?'

'Drat the luck! No! I'd follered them out Midway, and was jest alittle ways behind, when a couple o' guards stopped me, and afore I'dgot out of their grip the two of 'em was out of sight. '

I was not surprised to hear this. I was quite convinced that the ganghad in some manner secured a safe and secret lurking-place in thePlaisance. Still, somehow, I had hoped for something more from Billy'sreport, and felt somewhat disappointed. But I had yet to learn itstrue value. 

During my absence there had come a message from the bureau asking ourpresence there. It was the Lausch robbery that 'required ourpresence, ' so the message read, and Dave had returned an answerpromising our presence at the earliest moment of leisure. 

We did not feel so deeply interested in the Lausch robbery then as insome other matters, but when we had dismissed our boy shadower we wentat once to the bureau. 

There was considerable excitement at the office, and with good reason. Some of Monsieur Lausch's jewels had been returned, and in a mostnovel manner. 

Early in the morning a guard had appeared with the treasure in hishand, and a singular story upon his lips. 

Last night, he had said, while crossing the north-east end of theWooded Island, at quite a late hour, he had encountered a man andwoman searching for a lost purse. They were quite certain it had beenlost on the island, and he being then on duty and 'unable to delay, 'told them that he would search for it next day, and passed on. Earlyin the morning he had entered upon the search at the place where hehad met the two, and, finding no trace of the lost purse, had turnedhis search into a stroll about the island. He was quite familiar withthe place, having done guard duty there, and going close to thewater's edge, at a point where a favourite view was to be had, heobserved that one of the skiffs that were moored here and there aboutthe island was gone. Going closer, he saw that it had been roughlytorn from its moorings, and the soft soil showed that several peoplehad left traces of their presence. It was in stooping closer, to lookat these footprints, that he had noticed a bit of string trailingacross the grass just beyond; and taking hold of this, he found aweight upon it, which proved to be a little chamois-skin bagcontaining some uncut gems. He had at once reported this find to hissuperior officer, being an honest guard, and was ordered to come withit to the bureau. 

There was no room for doubt or mistake. The chamois bag contained aportion of the jewels stolen from the pavilion of Monsieur Lausch. There were some half-dozen of the dew-drop sparklers taken with thesilver-leaf tray, one large topaz and two of the smaller ones, andthere were also two solitaire rings which were not of the Lauschcollection. 

The bag containing these had been securely tied to a stout cord, nearly a yard in length, and fastened, doubtless, about the body ofsome person so securely that the double sailor-knot remained--a veryhard knot indeed; but, alas for human calculations! something, it wasevident, having a fine keen edge, had come in contact with this cord, and had cut it smoothly in two. 

As Dave Brainerd and I saw these things, the same thought entered bothour minds, and we exchanged one swift glance of mutual meaning, afterwhich we stood and heard Monsieur Lausch ejaculate, and wonder, andquestion the officers, discuss, and theorize, and prophesy, ourselvessaying little, and eager to be away from this place, that we mighttake counsel together concerning this new thing. 

Singularly enough, no one seemed to think of connecting this findwith the attack upon the guard at the bridge, and, finally, theydecided to advertise the gems, as if they were still in the hands ofthe finder, who only awaited a reward to yield them up; and, as littlemore could be done, Dave and myself withdrew from the council, wherewe had been little more than lookers-on. 

As we were taking our leave, the mail was brought in by a messenger, and we were called back from the outer office to hear a letter read. It was from an up-town jewellery house--at least, it bore the card ofthe house--and it reported that an emerald, 'large, fine, and of greatvalue, ' had been purchased by the head of the firm, under somewhatsuspicious circumstances, and from a woman. Further information and adescription of the woman, the letter stated, might be had byaddressing, or appointing a meeting with, the writer. 

And now my interest suddenly awoke, and to such good purpose that Imanaged to be chosen as the person to go to the city and interview thewriter, perhaps also the purchaser of the jewel. And thisaccomplished, Brainerd and I withdrew in haste. 

There was no doubt in our minds, the story told by the guard fittedtoo well in Billy's tale to admit of doubt. The bag of stolen jewelshad been lost by the little brunette, and Dave was fully of my mind. 

'I can't see how it was done, ' he said, as we discussed the matterlater. 'But it's plain enough that she had missed the bag, and thatthey were searching for it when the guard came up. Of course shewouldn't say that she had lost a bag of jewels. '

'Hardly, ' I replied. 'As for the how, I can very well see how thatstring might have been severed. You know my opinions about thisbrunette. A concealed knife may have done the mischief, or one ofthose steels that help to give ladies a slender waist, broken perhapsby the vigorous running, may have cut the string; it would onlyrequire a little rubbing to do the thing. I tell you, Dave, it looksas if we would have a full account to settle with this individual, andI begin to feel the ground under my feet. I'd like to know who the menwere who threw the guard over the bridge, though. '

'Don't you think Greenback Bob capable of it?'

'Quite. '

'And--Delbras?'

'Capable enough, but--he was not in it. '

'Are you sure, Carl?'

'I mean to be, shortly, ' I replied. 'Dave, old man, don't ask me anyquestions yet as to how it's to be done, but I believe that beforethis World's Fair closes you and I will have gotten Delbras and Bobout of mischief's way, settled the brunette problem, and thrown lighton the diamond robbery. '

'And how about that lost young Englishman, Sir Carroll Rae, andmissing Gerald Trent?'

I turned and faced him. 'Old man, ' I said, 'if you'll find one, I'llfind the other. '

CHAPTER XIX. 

'STRANGE! MISTAKEN! HEARTLESS!'

I was not disappointed in my interview with the up-town jeweller, who, being as real as the World's Fair itself, must not be named. 

In order to identify the jewel offered by the strange woman, I tookMonsieur Lausch with me, and he at once declared the description ofthe emerald to correspond precisely with the one stolen from him, andwhen I had listened to the description of the woman who had offeredthe gem, I was quite as confident that this person was the brunetteand no other. 

True, she had assumed a foreign accent and had laid aside her ratherjaunty dress for a more sober and foreign-looking attire; she had madeherself up, in fact, as a German woman, well dressed after the fashionof the German bourgeois; but she had added nothing to her face save apair of gold-framed spectacles; and while I kept my knowledge tomyself, I felt none the less sure that I had another link ready forthe chain I was trying to forge for this troublesome brunette, who wasso busy casting her shadows across my path and disarranging my plans. 

The writer of the anonymous letter, for such it was, turned out to bea practical jeweller in the employ of a certain jewel merchant, and Inever knew whether he had made his employer's purchase known to us forthe sake of the reward, or to gratify some personal spite or sense ofinjury. Whichever it may have been, it concerned us little. We gavehim our word not to use his name in approaching his employer, and ourpromise of a suitable reward should we find his story of use uponfurther investigation, and then we sought the purchaser of the jewel. 

With him we dealt very cavalierly. We knew, no matter how, that he hadpurchased an emerald of value, we told him; and I further added thathe had bought it from an accomplice, knowing that such an accusationwould soonest bring about the desired result, as indeed it did. 

A sight of the jewel sent Monsieur Lausch into raptures and rages. Itwas the lost emerald, the finest of them all!

That he could not at once carry away the gem somewhat modified therapture, but we came away quite satisfied on the whole, he that theemerald would soon be restored to him, and I that I at last knew howto deal with the brunette--always provided I should find her againafter the events of the day and night previous. 

 * * * * *

On the second day after his plunge into the lagoon I took Miss Jenrysand her aunt to see the injured guard, who was booked at the hospitalas 'Carr. '

The blow upon the head had resulted first in unconsciousness, andlater in a mild form of delirium. I had made a preparatory visit tothe hospital, and was able to tell Miss Jenrys that the patient wouldnot recognise her or any of us. 

I thought that she seemed almost relieved at this intelligence, especially after I had assured her that the surgeon in charge hadassured me that the delirium was much to be preferred as a lessdangerous symptom than the lethargy of the first twenty-four hours. 

'Mr. Masters, ' she had said to me on our way to the hospital, 'thereis one thing which I overlooked in telling you what I could about--Mr. Lossing. I--I trust you have not told them at the hospital, oranywhere, that he is not what he has represented himself. '

I hastened to assure her that this secret rested still between us two, and she drew a quick breath of relief. 

'If he should die, ' I added, watching furtively the sudden paling ofher fair cheek, 'it would become my duty and yours to tell the truth, all of it. As he seems likely to recover, we may safely let thedisclosure rest with him. '

'I am glad!' she said. 'So long as he chooses to be--Mr. Carr, Icannot of course claim his acquaintance. You--you are sure he will notknow me?'

'Quite sure, ' I replied; and she said no more until we had reached thehospital. 

We were asked to wait for a few moments in the outer office orreception room. The doctor was occupied for the moment, the attendantsaid, but an instant later the same attendant beckoned me outside. 

'Come this way a moment, ' he whispered. 'The doctor wishes to speakwith you. '

I murmured an excuse to the ladies, and went to the doctor in hislittle private room near by. 

'When you were here, ' he began, putting out his hand to me, 'I waspreoccupied and you were in haste. There is something concerning ourpatient that you, as his friend, must know. By the way, has he anynearer friends than yourself at hand?'

'I believe not, ' I replied briefly. 'I hope he is not worse, doctor?'

'No, not that, though he's bad enough. But you remember the sailorswho came with you said that he had struck against the boat in falling, and we decided, rather hastily, that this was the cause of the woundand swelling. In fact, it was the swelling which misled us. We couldnot examine closely until it was somewhat reduced; but this morning, after the wound was washed and cleansed for the new dressing, I foundthat the hurt upon the head was caused, not by contact with a bluntpiece of wood, but by something hard, sharp, and somewhat uneven ofsurface; a stone, I should say, or a piece of old iron--a blow, infact. '

'Ah!' the sudden thought that came to me caused me to start; but aftera moment I said:

'I do not doubt it. The fellows that made the attack are equal toworse things than that. I think, from what I know and guess at, theweapon may have been a sling of stones or bits of iron, tied in an oldbandana. '

I did not tell him that this was said to be one of Greenback Bob'sfavourite modes of attack, and of defence, too, when otherwiseunarmed. In fact, I said nothing to further indicate my knowledge ofthe assailants of our patient. But I got back to the ladies at once, after thanking the doctor, telling myself that his information wouldmake the charge against the miscreants, when captured, stronger andmore serious, if that were needful. 

When Miss Jenrys stood by the cot where the injured man lay, pallidand weak, with great dark lines beneath his eyes and his head swathedin bandages, I saw her start and shiver, and the slight colour in analready unusually pale face fade out, leaving her cheek as white asthat upon the pillow. The small hand clenched itself until the daintyglove was drawn to the point of bursting; the lips trembled, and thetears stood in the sweet eyes. She turned to the physician, and drewback a little as the head upon the pillow moved restlessly. 

'I--I have not seen him for some time. Do--do you think it couldpossibly startle him--if--if he should recognise me?'

'If it were possible, which, I fear, it is not--now--there is nothingthat would benefit him so much. '

She went close to the cot then, and, bending down, looked into therestless blue eyes. 

'How do you do?' she said clearly. 

The restless eyes were still for a moment; then the head upon thepillow moved as if essaying a bow, and the right hand was feeblylifted. 

She took his hand as if in greeting, and said again, speaking softlyand clearly:

'Won't you go and speak with my Aunt Charlotte?'

A startled look came into the eyes; a look of distress crossed theface. He made a feeble gesture with the right hand; a great sighescaped his lips, and then they parted. 

'Strange, ' they muttered feebly, 'cruel--mistaken--heartless!' Hishand dropped heavily, and, quick as thought, Miss Jenrys lifted herhead and drew back, her face one rosy glow from temples to chin; andnow the sweet Quakeress interposed with womanly tact:

'He does not know thee, dear; and perhaps our presence may disturbhim, in this weakened state. ' She bent over the sick man for a moment, scanned the pale, handsome features closely, gently put back a straylock of hair that had escaped from beneath the bandage and lay acrossthe white full temple. Then she turned to the doctor:

'In the absence of nearer friends, doctor, we will stand in theirstead. Will you give him your best care and let nothing be lacking?When we can serve him in any manner, thee will inform us through Mr. Masters, I trust; and, with your permission, I will call to ask afterhim each day until he is better. '

Sweet soul! How plain to me was the whole tender little episode! Icould imagine June Jenrys telling the story of her rupture with youngLossing as frankly as she had written it to her friend Hilda O'Neil, and more explicitly, with fuller detail. I could fancy the sweetsympathy and tender admonitions of the elder woman; and here, beforeme, was the visible proof of how she had interpreted the heart of thegirl, at once so proud, so honest, and so fearless in an emergencylike this. 

Had the sweet little Quakeress come to the bedside of this sufferingyoung stranger because he was a fellow being, friendless, alone, andin need of help and kindly care, or had she come because she believedthat June Jenrys possessed a heart whose monitions might be trusted, and that the man she had singled out from among many as the one man inthe world must be a man indeed?

Be this as it would, and whatever the frame of mind in which sheapproached that white cot at her niece's side, I knew, by thelingering touch upon the pale forehead, the deft, gentle, and quiteunconscious smoothing of the white counterpane across his breast, thatthe pale, unknowing face had won its way, and that what she took awayfrom that hospital ward was not the tenderly carried burden ofanother's interest and another's anxiety, but a personal interest anda personal liking that could be trusted to sustain itself and growapace in that tender woman's heart. 

We were a very silent party as we came away from the hospital. JuneJenrys looked as if the word 'heartless' were yet sounding in herears. I was assuring myself that it was best not to speak of what thesurgeon had told me, and the little Quakeress was evidently quite lostto herself in her thoughts of, and for, others. As I took my leave ofthem, Miss Ross put out her hand, and, after thanking me for myescort, said:

'I will not trouble thee to accompany me to-morrow; I know the wayperfectly, and can go very well by myself. Indeed I prefer to do so. Ishall not even let June here accompany me--at first. '

CHAPTER XX. 

'WE MUST UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER. '

The next morning brought a telegram from Boston, in reply to my wireasking instructions about the rooms on Madison Avenue. It read:

 'Hold rooms until we come. Short delay. Unavoidable. 

 'TRENT. '

The second day after our visit to the hospital the photograph ofGerald Trent was received by Miss Jenrys, and at once turned over tome, I, in my turn, putting it into the hands of an expert 'artist, 'with orders to turn out several dozen copies as rapidly as possible. 

These I meant to distribute freely among specials, policemen, theColumbian Guards at the Fair City; and others were to be furnished thechief of police for use about the city proper, for I meant to have athorough search made in the hotels, boarding places, furnished rooms, and in all the saloons and other haunts of vice and crime, wherever anofficer, armed with one of these pictures and offering a princelyreward, could penetrate. 

On the morning of the third day another telegram came. This read:

 'Still delayed because of illness. Hold rooms. 

 'TRENT. '

Accompanying the photograph had come a distracted letter from poorHilda O'Neil, in which she had described Mrs. Trent, the mother of themissing young man, as almost broken down by the shock and suspense;and we readily guessed that her illness was the cause of the delay. 

Twenty-four hours after receipt of this last message came another:

 'Mrs. T. Too ill to travel. Doctor forbids my leaving. Give up rooms. For God's sake work. Don't spare money. Letter follows. 

 'TRENT. '

In addition to these, every day brought across the wires, from HildaO'Neil to her friend, the pitiful little question, 'Any news?' andtook back the only possible reply, 'Not yet. '

And then came this letter from the father of Gerald Trent:

 'DEAR SIR, ' it began, 'I thank you heartily for your kind straightforward letter, and while I see and realize the many obstacles in the way of your search, I yet hope--I must hope--for your ultimate success; first, because Miss Jenrys' letter, so full of confidence in you, has inspired me with the same confidence; and, second, because to abandon hope would be worse than death. The prompt way in which you have taken up this search, at Miss Jenrys' request, has earned my sincerest gratitude. Although I had ordered the search begun through our chief of police here, yours was the first word of hope or encouragement I have received, although I have since heard from your city police. 

 'My wife lies in a condition bordering upon insanity, and much as I long to be where I can, at least, be cognizant of every step in the search for my son, as it is taken, my duty to that son's mother holds me at her bedside. For this reason we must all remain here, and I implore you to work! Leave no stone unturned! Employ more men; draw upon me for any sum you may require; offer any reward you may see fit; do what you will; only find my son, and save his mother from insanity and his father from a broken heart! Above all keep me informed, I beg of you. Remember all our moments here are moments of suspense. '

The name at the end was written in an uneven, diminishing scrawl, asif the letter had taxed the strength of the writer almost beyondendurance, and I heaved a sigh of earnest sympathy for the father, nowdoubly afflicted. 

It was impossible now to do more than was being done from day to day, but every morning I gave an ungrudged fifteen minutes to the writingof a letter, in which I tried to say each day some new word of hopeand to describe some new feature of our search, that he might feelthat we were indeed leaving no stone unturned. 

Meantime, from the moment when our brunette vanished from Master Billyin the Plaisance, no trace of her could be found by the lad or byourselves. 

For a number of days Dave and I gave ourselves to an untiring search, by day and night. We haunted the café where she had found lodgings, but we did not enter, for we did not wish to give the alarm to a youngperson already sufficiently shy, and we spent much time in Midway andupon Stony Island Avenue, near the places where the Camps had seenSmug, and the saloon wherein he had disappeared one day. 

That the brunette had not entered the café since the night of theassault upon the guard, we soon assured ourselves. But we did notrelax our vigilance, and for many days the beautiful White City was, to us, little more than a perplexing labyrinth in which we searchedceaselessly and knew little rest, stopping only to let another take upour seemingly fruitless search. 

It was not often now that we sought our rest together or at the sametime, but one night, after a week's fruitless seeking, I came to ourdoor at a late hour to find Dave there before me, and not yet asleep. He began to talk while watching me lay aside the rather uninterestingdisguise I had worn all day. 

'Carl, wake up that imagination factory of yours and tell me, or makea guess at least, why we don't run upon Greenback Bob, Delbras, oreven Smug, to say nothing of that invisible pedestal-climber of yours, any more?'

'Easy enough, ' I replied wearily. 'They're sticking close to business, and they don't show, at least by day, in the grounds any more. Ifthey're here at all, they are lying perdu in Cairo Street or in someof the Turkish quarters, smoking hasheesh, perhaps, or flirting withthe Nautch dancers, and all disguised in turban, fez, or perhaps aChinese pigtail. '

'Do you believe it?'

'I certainly do. '

'Jove! I wonder how they managed to get into those foreign holy ofholies. '

'Backsheesh, ' I answered tartly. 

'Look here, Carl!' Dave jerked himself erect in the middle of his bed. 'Suppose you wanted to get in with those people, how would you do it?'

'Dave, ' I replied, 'why weren't you born with just a little bump ofwhat you mistakenly call imagination? I'll show you to-morrow how todo the thing. '

'How?' Dave stubbornly insisted. 

'Well, if I must talk all night, suppose in the morning we go toCairo, and find our way to some one in some small degree anauthority--some one who can talk a little English, and most of themcan. I might offer my man a cigar, and praise his show a bit, and thentell him how I want to tell the world all about him; how I want to seehow they live, not so briefly, you understand. The circumlocutionoffice is as much in vogue in the Orient as, according to our mutualfriend Dickens, it is in old England. Well, when he fully understandsthat I admire their life and manners, and want to live it as well aswrite it, I begin to bid. They're here for money, and they won't letany pass them--see?'

'Old man!' cried Dave, smiting his knee with vigour, 'I'm going to tryit on!'

 * * * * *

It was seven days before our invalid--as we now by mutual consentcalled the still nameless guard--recovered his senses fully. There hadbeen two or three days of the stupor, and then a brief season ofactive delirium; and at this stage the surgeon shook his head andlooked very serious; and the little Quakeress, who, true to her firstintention, came alone, carried away with her a face more seriousstill. 

'She looks, ' said the surgeon to me, 'as much shocked as if he wereone of her own people. '

'She has a tender heart, ' I replied, 'and--he is quite well known, Ibelieve, to others of her family. '

'To one, assuredly, ' he said, with a dry smile and a quick glance; andI knew that June Jenrys' interest in the insensible guard had been asplain to this worldly-wise surgeon as to me. 

Remembering this brief dialogue, I was not surprised, when I made mybrief call in Washington Avenue, to note an added shade of seriousnesson the fair face that, since the disappearance of GeraldTrent--unknown, but the friend of her friend--had been growing graverday by day, so that the charms of the great Fair had palled upon her, and she had made her daily visits in a subdued and preoccupied mood, and shortened them willingly, to return at an early hour with the moreeasily fatigued little Quakeress. 

On the morning of the eighth day I called early, sent by the surgeonwith a message to Miss Ross. 

'She asked me to send her word the first moment when I found ourpatient sane enough and strong enough to receive a short call, and tolisten for a few moments, not to talk, "that was not needed, " shesaid, ' he added with one of his quiet smiles, 'and when I told herthat when he came to himself the sight of some friend for whom hecared would help him more than medicine, and asked her if he had anysuch, she said that she could at least tell him a bit of pleasantnews, and asked me to send her word at once. '

I was very willing to take the message, and when it was delivered thelittle Quakeress thanked me in her own quaint sweet manner, and a fewmoments later, while I was talking with Miss Jenrys and giving hersome details of our search for a clue to young Trent's disappearance, she excused herself quietly and left us without once glancing towardher niece. 

When I visited the hospital in the afternoon, the doctor said:

'Your little Quakeress is certainly a sorceress as well. She came verysoon after you left us yesterday, and she did not stay long. I hadforbidden my patient to talk, and I heard every word she said. It wasa mere nothing, but she has almost cured him. '

'If it was so simple, ' I said, half ashamed of my curiosity, yethaving a very good motive for it, 'may I not hear the words that socharmed and healed him?'

'As nearly as I can repeat them, you may. I had introduced her, as shebade me, and told him that she had called to see him every day, and Iknew, from the look in those open blue eyes of his, that she was anutter stranger, and that even her name was unknown to him. He waspleased though, and small wonder, at sight of the dainty, white-haired, sweet-voiced little lady; and when she took his hand inhers and, holding it between both her own, said, in her pretty Quakerfashion: "I am very glad and thankful to see thee so much better, andmy niece June will be also--I mean Miss Jenrys, who, hearing of thyadventure and injuries, came at once to see if it were really thefriend she thought she recognised in the description. My niece'sfriends are mine, and so I have assumed an old woman's privilege andpaid thee a visit daily, and now that thee seems much better I will, with thy permission, bring her with me when I come again. "' The doctorstopped short and smiled. 

'Was that all?' I asked, smiling also. 'What did he say?'

'Well, sir, for a moment I thought the fellow was going to faint, butit was a pleasurable shock, and he made a feeble clutch at her hand, and his face was one beam of gratitude as he looked in hers andwhispered, while he clung to her hand, "To-morrow. " Then of courseshe turned to me, and I, pretending to have been quite unobservant, ordered her away, and made their next visit contingent upon his goodbehaviour during the next twenty-four hours. '

I saw that the time had now come when the patient and I mustunderstand each other better, and I began by taking the doctor alittle into my confidence, telling him a little of what I knew and apart of what I guessed at or suspected. 

'I want now to enlighten him a little concerning this attack upon him, doctor, ' I concluded, 'and if I don't make him talk----'

'Oh, see him by all means. There's nothing worse for the sick thansuspense. I begin to understand matters. Since his return toconsciousness he has seemed singularly apathetic, but let me tell youone thing: there were two nights--he was always wildest at night--whenhe talked incessantly about that meeting at the bridge, and he fullybelieves now that she, whoever that may be, was there. His firstquestion asked, after being told of his mishap, was this: "Was anyoneelse attacked or injured besides myself that night at the bridge?" andwhen I answered no, he seemed relieved of a great anxiety. '

I had not seen him since the full return of his senses, and he seemedvery glad to see me. When the doctor had warned him against muchconversation, and had left us, I drew my chair close beside his cot, so that I could look into his face and he in mine. 

'My friend, ' I began, 'I am doctor enough to know that a mind at easeis a great help toward recovery, and I am going to set your mind atease upon some points at least. Mind, ' I added, smiling in spite ofmyself, 'I do not say your heart. Now, to do this I may need to put afew questions; and to obey the doctor and at the same time come to anunderstanding with you, I will make my questions direct, and you cananswer them by a nod. '

At this he nodded and smiled. 

'I dare say, ' I went on, 'you wonder how and why you were treated tothat sudden ducking?'

Again he nodded; this time quite soberly. 

'I am going to enlighten you, in a measure, and I am obliged, in orderto do so, to take you into my confidence, to some extent, and I mustbegin with the adventure of the bag--Miss Jenrys' bag, you know. '

Now I was approaching a delicate topic, and I knew it very well. I hadnot, in so many words, asked permission of Miss Jenrys to use her namein relating my story, but I had said to her during one of the severalcalls I had made in Washington Avenue, during the week that had justpassed:

'When our friend is able to listen, Miss Jenrys, I must tell him, Ithink, how he came to be assaulted upon the bridge, as I understandit, if only to prepare and warn him against future attacks; and, tomake my story clear to him or even reasonable, I shall need to entersomewhat, in fact considerably, into detail. I can hardly make himrealize that he has a dangerous enemy else. '

I saw by the flush upon her face and a sudden nervous movement, thatshe understood fully what this would involve, and for a moment Ifeared that she was about to forbid me. But the start and blush werequickly controlled, and she pressed her lips together and drew herselferect, and there was only the slightest tremor in her voice when shesaid, slowly:

'You are right; he ought to know, ' and turned at once to anothersubject. 

Something in the look the young fellow turned upon me when I spoke ofthe episode of the bag reminded me of her face as she gave that tacitconsent; there was the same mingling of pride and eagerness, reticenceand suspense, and I plunged at once into my story, recalling brieflythe encounter between Miss Jenrys and the Turks, the finding of thebag, my meeting with him, and the appearance of the little brunette, and here I put a question. 

'I want to ask you, ' I said, 'and I have a good reason for asking, asyou will see later, why, when that tricky brunette turned her backupon you so pertly after making her demand for the bag--why you atonce left us both and without another word? Wait, ' as he seemed makingan effort to reply. 'Let me put the question direct. Did you not leaveus because you thought that person was really a friend of Miss Jenrys, and had, perhaps, been warned not to speak too freely in yourhearing?'

The blood flew to his pale cheeks, and there was a momentary flash ofhaughtiness in his fine eyes, but as they met my own, this look fadedfrom them and he murmured 'Yes. '

'Thank you, ' I said. 'And now, before going further, let me tell youthat I am violating no confidence; it is not for me to explain morefully here than this: The young lady of whom I am about to speak knowsthat I am telling you these things. I am not speaking against herwill. '

And now his eyes dropped as he said faintly, 'Thank you. '

I next told him in as matter-of-fact a manner as possible how Iexamined the bag, and how, when all other hope of a clue to the ownerfailed, I read Miss Jenrys' letters; how, when the first letter failedto give me the owner's address, I read the second in full. 

'And now, ' I said to him, 'before I go further, let me remind you oncemore that I speak by permission, and add, on my own behalf, that, eventhus authorized, I would not utter what I am about to say if I did notbelieve that by so doing I can set right a wrong, a worse wrong doneto you than that of attempting your life--a blow at your honour, infact. '

He started, and then, as if remembering his condition, said withwonderful self-restraint, 'Go on, please. '

And I did go on. Before I paused again I had told him almost word forword, as it was implanted upon my memory, the story June Jenrys hadwritten to her friend, the story of that ante-Lenten party--just thefact, omitting her expressions of preference. I told the story as Iwould have told it of a dear sister whose maidenly pride was preciousto me; told how she had gone, at his request, to speak with him in theconservatory, and how, there, she had heard, herself unseen, thoseflippant, unmanly words, so unlike him, yet from the lips of someoneaddressed by his name. 

For a long moment after I had ceased speaking he lay there somoveless, with his hands tightly clenched and his eyes fixed uponempty space, that I almost feared he had fainted; then he turned hisface toward me and spoke in stronger tones than I had supposed himcapable of using. 

'That letter--did it name that man?'

'What man?' I had purposely omitted the name of the man who had comeso opportunely to lead Miss Jenrys away after she had heard theheartless speech from behind the ferns in the conservatory, and whileI asked the question I knew to whom he referred. 

'The man who came so opportunely after the--after I had gone. '

I hesitated. Here was a complication, perhaps, for I had hoped hewould not put this question yet, but I could not draw back now, orwhat I had meant should result in good to two persons, at least, mightcause further misunderstanding and render the last state worse thanthe first. So, after a moment, I answered:

'Yes. It named the man. '

'Who? tell me!' This was not a request, it was a command; and he wasoff his pillow, resting upon his elbow, and eyeing me keenly. 

I got up and bent over him. 

'I'll tell you fast enough, ' I said grimly. 'And it's evident you arenot a dead man yet; but get back on your pillow--he's here in thisvery White City, and if you want to take care of your own you'd betternot undo the doctor's good work. Lie down!'

He dropped back weakly, and the fire died out of his face; he wasdeathly pale, but his white lips framed the word, 'Who?'

'Monsieur Maurice Voisin, ' I said. 

'The dastard!'

'Quite so, ' I agreed. 'Did you know he was here?'

'Yes. ' He lay silent a moment, then: 'I see! He saw it was--he----'

I held up my hand. 'If you talk any more I shall go; and I have moreto say to you. I want you to get well, and there's someone else who iseven more anxious than I am. But you have made one mistake, I think. You think that Voisin attacked you because you were about to meet MissJenrys, do you not?'

He stared, but did not answer. 

'When the brunette met you in the afternoon of that day, she gave yousome reason for believing that Miss J. Desired to see you, and that ifyou joined them that night it would please her. '

I paused, but again he was mute. 

'My friend, ' I went on, 'I believe that Love, besides being himselfblind, is capable of blinding and befooling the wits of the wisest. That brunette is an impostor. As for knowing Miss Jenrys, she does, iffollowing her up and down, and trying to force an acquaintance, isknowing her. Here is the truth: That brunette, as we all call her, forwant of any other appellation, is one of a trio, or perhaps aquartet, of adventurers, confidence men, counterfeiters, what youwill, so that it is evil. They are here for mischief, and they beganat once, through this brunette decoy, to entrap Miss Jenrys, for whatpurpose I am just beginning to learn. It seems, too, that they havedesigns upon you, for they decoyed you out the other night, thisbrunette and one of their woman companions dressed to resemble MissJ. , and when they had you upon the bridge and you thought you wereabout to meet Miss J. , two men who had been lying in wait for youbehind a buttress sprang upon you, and while one thrust you over, theother dealt you a blow which, an inch lower, would have killed you--sothe doctor has said. '

All the life had gone out of his face as I ceased speaking. His lipstrembled. 'Then--it was not she?' he said brokenly. 

'My dear fellow, ' I put my hand upon his, 'listen: Until the nextmorning she did not know you were here, but after reading that letterI could not help believing that you were the man of whom she wrote, and I went to her, told her of my meeting with you, described you, andsaw at once that she recognised you. Then I told her how you had beenattacked, and the next morning I brought her and her aunt to see you. I don't want to flatter you, and I can't betray a lady; but while itwas not she that night upon the bridge--and in your own sober sensesand free of Cupid's blindness you would be among the first to knowthat it could not be she--she is now very near, and she is onlywaiting to be told that she may come to see, with her own eyes, thatyou are better, and that you will be glad to see her. '

'Glad!' How much the one word said, but in a moment he looked up. 'But--these men--how do you know----'

'About the attack? I saw it. I had been following, watching you andthem. '

He put his hand to his head as if bewildered. 

'But, my God! those men! If they are following her--and myself--and ifit is not--not Voisin----' He lifted his hand suddenly. 'I tell you, man, it is Voisin!'

As his hand dropped, the doctor came up and looked keenly from one tothe other. I got up quickly. 

'Doctor, ' I said, 'I fear he has talked too much; but if you will letme talk to him a little longer--tell him something that will lift aweight from his mind, once he understands it, I am sure he willpromise not to talk; and I will be brief. '

The doctor looked at his watch. 'Go on, ' he said; 'I give you fifteenminutes. '

The guard heaved a long sigh of relief, and I seated myself againbeside his cot. 

'Now, ' I said, 'I, on my part at least, am going to be perfectly frankwith you. We must understand and aid each other. '

CHAPTER XXI. 

'LET ME LAUGH!'

There were moments, yes, even hours, during the week while our guardlay upon his hospital cot unconscious or delirious, when I blamedmyself severely for my lack of confidence or frankness that afternoonof his encounter with the brunette; times when I felt that he shouldhave been told at least what I believed was the truth concerning her. 

Yet, how was I to have guessed her intent concerning him?

Knowing her pursuit of Miss Jenrys, I felt so sure that she was onlyusing him as a means for obtaining information about that young lady, and that this interview was only the beginning of what was meant tobecome an acquaintance more or less confidential. 

As a result of my reticence, the young fellow had barely escaped withhis life; even now, so the doctor said, fever or inflammation mightput it in jeopardy. 

Well, it was not my only blunder, I thought, looking back, with a grimsmile, to my first absurd exploit. But I would try very hard to makeit my last; at least, where 'the gang, ' as Dave was wont to callDelbras and Company, was concerned. And when thinking of 'the gang, ' Icould not but note how both Dave and myself had reversed our firstorder in naming them, and now spoke, invariably, not of 'Greenback Boband the rest, ' but of 'Delbras and Company. ' Somehow, Delbras seemedto have taken the foremost place in our thoughts, as I fully believedhe was foremost in all the plots, plans and undertakings of themysterious and elusive three. And yet he was the one out of the gangagainst whom we had no actual case. 

We could see the hand of Greenback Bob in the counterfeit two-dollargreenbacks which had started into circulation so briskly, and then sosuddenly dropped out of sight. And his work was also visible in thatattack upon the guard; for who, according to the police records, couldhandle a 'slung-shot' as could Bob? And that the guard's wound was thework of a sling, we--the surgeon and myself--quite believed. 

As for the brunette, we might begin with her little confidence game, in which she did not secure Miss Jenrys' bag; charge her with the saleof the stolen emerald, and bring home to her the loss of the'dew-drops' and other contents of the chamois-bag lost in her flightacross Wooded Island--when we found her again. 

But Delbras! We might believe him to be the originator of, and primemover in, the Lausch diamond robbery, but the only shadow ofcorroboration was our belief--based upon the fact of Dave's havingseen the three together--that they were 'partners, ' and that Delbraswas credited with being an expert diamond thief. Not a promisingoutlook, I sometimes said to Dave, in my moments of discouragement, which my practical friend declared were somehow always synonymous withmy moments of hunger. 

But to return to our guard and his interests. During the fifteenminutes kindly granted by the doctor, and which somehow ran into halfan hour before he came and ordered me away, I contrived to establishbetween myself and the invalid a very sufficient understanding, and Ileft him feeling that, so far as lay in my power, he was warnedagainst his enemies, and knew them, at least, as well as I did. 

Upon one question, however, we differed. As I was about to take leave, I said: 'There is one thing that I foresee, and that is a renewal ofyour social relations with Miss Jenrys and a beginning of the samewith her aunt. I can see reasons why it might be better--mightsimplify matters--if you kept up at least an outside appearance ofcoolness. You understand?'

'Yes. ' He was silent for a little time, then: 'Will this be of actualuse or help to you?'

'Only as your meetings may complicate matters by making new troublefor yourself, or--possibly--her. '

'Then, ' said he, looking me straight in the eye, 'Miss Jenrys mustdecide the question. '

As I came out from the hospital that day I came face to face withMonsieur Voisin. He paused a moment, as if in doubt, and then camequickly toward me, one hand extended, a smile upon his face. Hisgreeting was the perfection of courtesy, and I, of course, respondedin kind. 

After a few remarks of the usual sort, a word regarding the weather, which was perfect, and praises of the Fair, Monsieur Voisin, who hadseen me emerge from the hospital, said:

'So it is here that this great Fair cares for its sick andunfortunate? Have you been inspecting its methods, may I ask?'

There are times when the truth is best; and I thought I knew my man, so I replied smilingly:

'A hospital is not in itself charming. I have been to call upon afriend. '

'That, indeed! A patient, I suppose?'

'A patient, yes. ' I felt sure that he was not inclined to tarry, norin truth was I; but I let him take the initiative, and after a fewmore airy, courteous words he murmured something about an appointment, and went his way. 

When he was quite out of sight I went back to the guard near the doorof the hospital, who had grown to know me quite well. 

'Did you notice the man who just spoke with me?' I asked him. 

'Yes, sir. '

'Ever see him before?'

'I have that. A few days ago he stopped and asked after one of thepatients--feller that fell into the lagoon the other night. Said he'dheard that a young man fell off a bridge. '

'And--may I ask how you answered him?'

The guard looked at me quizzically. 'Well, you see, we've been orderednot to answer questions about this case, for some reason that you mayknow better than I do; and so I couldn't tell him much about it, but Ioffered to ask for him. He wouldn't have that; said it was only apassing inquiry, ' and he laughed knowingly. 

He had seen me when I came with the men who bore the guard upon astretcher, and felt that he might overstep the rules with safety. 

'How is the fellow, anyhow?' he asked. 'They say he was one of us. '

'He is one of you, ' I replied, 'and we hope to see him about at theend of a week. '

 * * * * *

Precisely how Carr or Lossing--I called him 'our guard' in those days, by preference--precisely how he and June Jenrys met, I learned indetail, but not until the glorious White City had faded in truth to adream city--a lovely vivid memory; but I had imagined the scene, evenbefore it took place, and I was glad to know that my 'imaginationmachine, ' to quote Dave, had not gone far wrong. 

Miss Jenrys had accepted my proffered escort that morning, and, alittle to my surprise, I found that her aunt was not prepared toaccompany her. For the first time that little woman gave me a glimpseof a strong foundation of that good sense that is not held in strictlyorthodox leash, the sturdy independence that accepts convention as aservant but not as a mistress, that was hidden beneath that gentle, yielding manner of hers. 

'My niece is not a child, ' she said to me, when the young lady hadleft us to make ready for the walk to the hospital, 'and it is bestthat she should go alone to-day for his sake. Thee must understand?' Inodded, and she went on: 'June has told me the story, all of it, Ithink, and there is something that should be explained; there iserror, at least, somewhere. It seems strange to be talking like thisto thee, but thee seems to have come so intimately into our lives oflate--besides, of course, I know that--having read that letter, whichJune has let me read also--thee sees the position----'

'One moment, ' I interrupted her; 'I have wanted to speak upon thissubject and have hesitated. Nine young women out of ten would havedeeply resented my reading of that letter. '

'But the circumstances----'

'I know. Still, I might have resisted the temptation to read on afterI had discovered your address, and although she grants the mitigatingcircumstances, still she must resent, just a little, my knowledge ofits contents. '

She put up her hand, with a soft little laugh. 

'I shall be sure to trip myself if I attempt a polite fib, so I willadmit that. At first, for a little time, June did feel quite haughtywhen she thought of that letter and thy knowledge of it in the samemoment. But great troubles often swallow up small annoyances, theeknows; and I can assure thee that my niece now looks upon thee as areal friend, to be trusted, not quarrelled with; besides--for theemust know we have talked over this very thing--she realizes that ifthee had not read that letter something unpleasant might have befallenher, something terrible; who knows? Besides, there are all these laterhappenings, all your help to be put in the balance in your favour. No, Mr. Masters, thee has in June Jenrys a friend, who is grateful tothee, and who believes in thee, and she is no lukewarm partisan. '

She put out her slim, white hand, ringless and soft, but firm in itstouch, and I grasped it and was silent for a moment; then, thankingher for her kindness and confidence, I said hastily, and in momentaryexpectation of seeing Miss Jenrys enter the room:

'Miss Ross, I believe you have saved me from a blunder. As you havesaid, your niece is a woman, and a very clever one, and I have beennear treating her like a child. '

'A child, and how?'

'There is a word concerning that same letter we have been speaking of, which I have been longing to speak. It should have been said beforethis visit of to-day, I think; and I have near been telling it to you, when it most concerns Miss Jenrys. '

She came closer, with a swift step. 

'Does it--does it also concern--him?'

'Yes. '

'And--ah--I must ask thee if it is to his hurt?'

'It is not. '

'Then tell it to her at once, if it will make their meeting lessembarrassing to either; tell it--hush!'

Almost as she spoke the door opened and June Jenrys entered the room, and never had she looked so charming. It was evident in every detailof her simple toilet that she had dressed with the purpose and thepower to please and charm. 

The gown was simply made, of some soft, creamy-tinted wool, that fellin long straight folds from her silken belt, and was drawn, soft andfull, like the surplice of our grandmothers' day, about the shapelyshoulders and across the breast; and the hat was black and broad, withcurving brim and drooping plume, the same, in fact, worn by her on thenow memorable day when we--the guard and I--saw her, all unconsciousof the menacing Turks on Midway Plaisance. A soft, black glove withlong, wrinkled wrists, and a long, slim umbrella, tightly furled, completed a charming picture of a New York girl par excellence. 

As we left the house and I turned at the foot of the steps to lift myhat to Miss Ross, looking after us from the doorway, she waved herhand and sent me a significant glance, which I well understood. Itmeant, 'Speak, and speak boldly. '

When we had entered at the Fifty-seventh Street gate, and werecrossing the bridge, I did speak, and boldly too, it seemed to me. 

'Before we enter the hospital, Miss Jenrys, ' I began, 'there issomething which I think you ought to know. I have not spoken of it inyour aunt's presence, because it is first and most your affair, tomake known or to withhold for a time. Will you sit in that arbourwhere I first talked to yourself and Miss Ross? I see that it isunoccupied, fortunately. '

She assented promptly, and when we had entered the Nebraska Housearbour, and were seated side by side upon the shadiest seat, sheturned toward me an expectant look, and silently waited my pleasure. Her face was grave and somewhat paler than usual, but there rested inher lovely eyes a look of fixed purpose, a clear, fine light as ofsome decision, made after doubt and hesitation, in which she nowrested and felt strong. 

She did not seem eager, as she sat beside me, only waiting, and hermind evidently was 'far away ahead. '

I came promptly to the point. 

'What I have to say, Miss Jenrys, concerns our friend whom we areabout to visit, as well as yourself. ' She let her lashes droop, andslightly bent her head. 'And it has been in my mind, ' I went on, 'forsome time--in fact ever since I came to the conclusion that our friendwas, in truth, the Mr. Lossing whom you named in the letter I was sobold as to read;' here she flushed hotly. 'And here permit me to say, Miss Jenrys, that no man ever read his own mother's letter morerespectfully than I perused that letter of yours, searching through itfor the address of its writer. I hope you will believe me when I saythat I hesitated long, and put down the letter more than once, beforeI ventured to give it a second glance, and that no eye save mine reador saw one word of its contents while it remained in my possession. When I met you first, and talked with you in this same spot, I wantedto say this to you, but I saw that you preferred to ignore this partof the affair----'

'I did, ' she interrupted, with gentle dignity, reminding me of heraunt. 'I confess that at first I felt sore and sensitive about my poorletter, but that is over, Mr. Masters; you have made me again andagain your debtor, even by that act, as I now see clearly. Let us notrefer to that letter again. '

'But I must once more at least, and I beg you to bear with me if Iseem unduly meddling with your affairs; they are our friend's affairstoo, and I believe he has been grievously wronged. '

'Wronged?' She started, and her face flushed and paled in the samemoment. 'How--how?'

'I will tell you. You may not be aware how much a few written linescan sometimes convey to one in my profession, especially when writtenby one who speaks frankly, as friend to friend; and when I had readthat portion of your letter which describes the scene in theconservatory, I seemed to see it all. ' I was speaking with my eyesupon the ripples of the little stream at our feet, into which, fromtime to time, I tossed a leaf or twig from the branches just overhead. 

'When I had read that portion of the letter, Miss Jenrys, ' I went on, 'before I had seen you or Lossing, I said to myself, "She has beendeceived--tricked!"'

'Tricked?' she whispered through pale lips, and then she drew herselferect, and awaited my next words. 

'Miss Jenrys, I believe you know now whom I am about to accuse. Yesterday I had a talk with Lossing, as long as the doctor wouldpermit, and I, on my part, took him quite into my confidence. He knowsme for what I am; he knows what I am doing. I told him, afterconsulting you, the story of the letter--of the brunette--everything. Was I wrong?'

'No, ' very slowly. 

'And last I told him that I believed someone had played him adastardly trick. Shall I tell you what he said to me?'

'Yes. '

'He swore that the words you heard behind the palms were neveruttered by him; that he saw only you and one other in theconservatory. '

She clasped her two hands in her lap, and I saw that they trembledslightly; but her voice was low and calm when she turned to me andsaid:

'If he tells me this, I shall believe him. ' And then, after a momentof silence, 'How was it done?' she asked. 

'Can you not imagine a rival overhearing, perhaps, the appointment inthe conservatory? If he is a good mimic or a ventriloquist, say, itwould be easy to utter a few words behind the palms, impersonating twopeople; then, as his victim approaches, he glides behind some otherleafy screen, to appear before you, perhaps, a little later, smilingand secretly triumphant. '

'I see!' she said, with sudden energy. 'Tell me what must--what oughtI to do?'

'Will you take my advice, with a strong reason behind it?'

'Yes, ' promptly. 

'Then, say nothing, do nothing, for the present. Believe me, it willbe best in the end, and an especial favour to me. I will explain morefully at another time. ' I got up and stood before her, watch in hand. 'We are due at the hospital. Do you agree?'

'To wait?' She arose quickly. 'Will it really be a favour to you?'

'It will be a great favour. It will disarrange my most cherished plansfor unmasking a villain if you make a sign too soon. '

'Then I will hold my peace; I will help you, even--can I?'

'Will you?'

'I will. ' She put out her hand. 

'Thank you. I will not cause you to regret your promise. Shall we go?'

 * * * * *

Lossing lay eager-eyed and impatient, watching alternately his watchand the door, when June entered, stately and charming, and came alonestraight to his cot. 

There were no heroics. These were not the lovers of the popular novel, who meet invariably, after long absence or a deadly quarrel, in anempty parlour at early twilight; they were young and ardent, but theywere also familiar with _les convenances_, and possessed of thenineteenth-century horror of a scene. 

When she paused beside him his hand was outstretched to meet hers; andif the clasp was close and long, what of that? And if, when she sankgracefully into the seat placed for her by an attendant, there was asuspicious moisture in her eyes, which she seemed to wipe away, sinceher back was turned to the others; and if his lip quivered slightly, for he was very weak you know, what then?

At first no word was spoken, but their eyes had met and exchangedgreetings, without the aid of words. 

By-and-by, with his eyes devouring her face, he said feebly:

'You--have seen--Masters?'

'Yes, he brought me here. '

'And--he told--you----?'

'Everything. '

He drew a long sigh of relief, and slid his hand along the counterpanetoward hers. 

'June, ' appealingly. 

She put her hand in his for a moment, met his eyes for an instant, turned her own away quickly, and glanced over her shoulder; thensuddenly she began to laugh softly. 

'June!' reproachfully. 

'Let me laugh! Oh, you poor boy! If I don't laugh, I'm afraid--I shallcry!'

CHAPTER XXII. 

'THERE IS DANGER--NEAR!'

Women are strange. This has been said before, I know, but it isdoubtful if it is ever said twice with just the same meaning; and itis always true. 

When Miss Jenrys learned that our guard was quite beyond the dangerline, and that he might leave the hospital in a week, she promptlydeclared her second visit, in company with her aunt, her last, assuring him that, while one might disregard Mrs. Grundy when a friendwas so ill as to be upon debatable ground, it would never do to riskher favour for a rapidly recovering convalescent. 'Besides, ' she saidwith a smile that was kinder than her words, 'in a few days you willbegin to pay some of the visits you now owe to Aunt Ann and to me. 'And this he did. 

When he left the hospital his physician forbade him to attemptanything more severe than a very short promenade once a day, and alittle sight-seeing, if he choose to do it in a wheeled chair; for therest, quiet and much sleep. As to his duties as guard, even thelightest of these were forbidden him for at least a fortnight. 

It is hardly likely that the originators of the Fair City planned todo just that, or realized at first what they had done, but intentionalor not, the White City was a paradise for lovers. 

Those cosy nooks all about Wooded Island, those quiet corners aboutthe lagoons, with seats invitingly placed; and what snug recesses, 'too small for numbers, roomy for two, ' in the great buildings, amongthe pagodas, temples, pavilions and lofty inclosures, hospitablyfurnished by generous exhibitors; then there were half a hundred andmore buildings, model dwellings, cottages, castles, villas, mansions, palaces, edifices, State and national, each with open doors, and manywith cosy parlours, reception-rooms, assembly-rooms, where one or twocould find quiet and seclusion in the midst of multitude; and last andbest, there were the beautiful lake, the lake shore, the lagoons, theskiffs, launches, and the gondolas. 

On the first day of his freedom from the hospital our guard tried hisstrength moderately, and took counsel with Miss Ross. 

On the second day June came 'half-way, ' as she expressed it, joininghim upon the Plaza and leaving Miss Ross to my tender mercies, for hehad unblushingly begged an hour of my time--which he stretched to twohours--that I might 'help him entertain the ladies. '

Even now I am not certain that Miss Ross was not a party to the plotby which we first found ourselves alone upon the Plaza; and a momentlater saw our guard and Miss Jenrys afloat upon the Grand Basin, luxuriously established, because of the invalid, of course, in acanopied gondola, and looking as innocent as if they did not perfectlywell know that their picturesque gondolier could not understand theleast word of English. 

We watched them until they passed under the bridge of the bears at thesouth end of the north canal, and when they came out into the lagoonand turned westward as if to skirt the island, I turned to mycompanion. 

'Does she speak Italian?'

'June? No; she is a good German scholar, and loves the language. Shespeaks French also, and reads Spanish well; but Italian, no, I am surenot. '

'Then he does!' I declared, 'and he has set those fellows to paddlingaround the island. Miss Ross, let us go and see the cliff dwellers, 'and we went. 

When our two lovers were gliding slowly along the shores of theisland, in the shadows of its western side, our guard turned towardJune, and after a long look into the eyes which she dropped, at lastsaid, softly and slowly:

'June--you did not rebuke me when I called you so at the hospital whenI was ill; may I call you June now?'

'Yes, because now you are an invalid. ' There was a little smilelurking at the corners of her mouth, but he went on gravely:

'Thank you, June; and now may I begin where I should have begun thatevening when you sent me from you----'

'Stop, please! I could not speak of that miserable time until you--Imean since you have approached the matter, let me ask your pardon forthe insult I then offered you. I have felt all the time since thosefirst hours that there was somehow a hideous blunder, and now myreason has been enlightened. I should not have doubted. Forgive me!'

'June, don't! How could I blame you, knowing as I now do how you weredeceived? It is noble of you, but don't ask my pardon when----'

'But I want your pardon! Do you think it humiliates me to ask pardonfor a wrong I have done? I am too proud not to do it, Mr. Lossing. '

And so gliding along that fair water-way, isolated, yet with all theworld around them, those two settled the question of questions; andthen, with minds and hearts at ease, and beauty all about them, theirthoughts became less serious, and she began to criticise the uniformof a guard standing at a boat-landing, with shoulders erect and amilitary air. 

'And you, Mr. Lossing, are really one of those superb personages! andto think that I have never seen you in your panoply of war. '

'Shall I resume it to-morrow?' he asked earnestly. 

'For duty? You are not able. '

'But when I am able? When I donned that uniform I was in search of anew experience; something to take the staleness out of life. I thoughtit would give me a view of this great enterprise not to be had by thecash-paying outsider. But, June, I am willing to dispense with mypanoply of war, and to be a common citizen once more; shall I?'

'Do you wish to?'

'Your will in this matter is my law. '

She laughed musically. '"In this matter?" I am so glad you qualifiedthat speech. But now, seriously, let me say to you that if you chooseto retain the place you have taken I shall honour you for it. What canyou or any man, in time of peace, do more or better than the work ofthese young men? Their work can only be well done by gentlemen. Courtesy, watchfulness, care for others; help to the old, the weak, the children; guiding, informing, protecting; making this greatbeautiful labyrinth of wonders, that might be so puzzling, sowearisome, so dangerous, a place of comfort, of safety, of delight. Myfriend, when I think what a Babel this place would be without theColumbian Guard, I am proud of--your uniform. '

'Then you do believe that "a man's a man for a' that?" Thank you, June. '

'I do, assuredly. '

'And if I tell you that I am a poor man, with only a little money andjust a newly fledged literary knack to stand between me and the sunnyside of life--what then, Princess June?'

'Don't expect to extract one grain of sympathy from me because of anytale of poverty you may tell, sir. You don't impress me as a young manwho has been ill-used by the world. But that literary knack--do let mehear more about that;' and her smile changed to a look of eagerinterest. 

'It's a short tale. About a year ago I made my first attempt as ajournalist--newspaper hack would sound more modest--and I amsucceeding fairly. '

'Then I congratulate you. Anyone can be a millionaire, but ajournalist who succeeds--he wields a power beyond price. '

 * * * * *

There was one thing that bade fair to grow troublesome, as I foundmyself giving some small portion of almost every day to the twoladies; for Miss Ross as well as her niece had made me feel that myduty as well as my pleasure lay in those daily reports or interviews, held sometimes in the dainty rooms upon the avenue, and now and thenin some convenient spot within the Fair City. 

At our first meeting, at the north end of the grounds, I did notconsider the encounter with the Turks in her behalf a meeting, for Iscarcely had a full look at her face, while she did not so much asglance at mine; but at the other I had appeared before her in _propriâpersonâ_, and my subsequent calls at the house upon the avenue hadbeen the same. On the other hand, whenever I went about the Expositiongrounds or beyond them in my capacity of 'sleuth, ' I went in somemanner of disguise. 

During the first week of my acquaintance with Miss Jenrys I hadencountered Monsieur Voisin twice; first upon the occasion of ourintroduction, and afterward at Miss Jenrys' door; and during the firstweek of our guard's confinement in the hospital I had narrowly escapedhim twice, going to or coming from the same place. As the days went onI found that Monsieur Voisin's attentions were growing more marked, and his visits on the avenue almost constant. 

I did not wish to become too well known to Monsieur Voisin, who was akeen observer, for I was posing for him as a 'New York newspaper man, 'and so at last I was forced to tell the two ladies that some, if notall, of my calls, for a time at least, must be made at unconventionalhours, and often in disguise. 

And now the days, while quite uneventful, were growing more and morebusy for Brainerd and myself. 

The matter of the diamond robbery, after considerable discussion andsome reluctance, had been turned over to a clever Chicago expert, andto help him on, and at the same time free our hands for other matters, we gave him all the information in our possession; told him ourtheories and suspicions, and gave him a description of the brunette, together, of course, with an account of her transactions with theemerald, which, by the way, had been restored to Monsieur Lausch, notfreely and not willingly, but because the dealer in precious stoneswas not daring enough to risk a threatened exposure in the newspapers. 

To make the expert's way quite clear with reference to the brunette, we told him also of her pursuit of Miss Jenrys and her connection withthe attack upon our guard, adding that we were fully convinced she wasone of a clique, working always, whether together or separately, inunison. But we entered into no details where Delbras and his otherconfederates were concerned. In fact, we did not name them. 

'We cannot let the Lausch business go out of our hands without lettingthe other party into the matter as deep as we ourselves have gone, 'said Dave, 'and the brunette has put her finger into the pie. Butthere's no proof of any sort pointing toward the rest of the gang; andso, old man, before we put another fellow on the track of Delbras, Bob, Smug and Company, we will satisfy ourselves that we are not smartenough to run them down alone. '

These sentiments I echoed in full; and although they were provingthemselves adepts in the art of vanishing and leaving no trace behind, I felt--for reasons which I had not as yet confided even toBrainerd--more and more certain every day that we should sooner orlater entrap Delbras, and through him the others. 

But while we could describe the brunette to the satisfaction of thekeen young fellow in whom we felt a brotherly interest and any amountof faith, we could do little more. I sent him my 'shadow, ' Billy, andthe boy went with him to the café where she had been seen to come andgo, and to the places in the Plaisance where she had more than oncedisappeared; and having done this we could do no more, save to wishhim success and to wash our hands, for a time, of the Lausch diamondrobbery and the little brunette--or so we thought. 

But now I had upon my mind a new case. Our guard, or Lossing, as, inimitation of Miss Jenrys and her aunt, I was learning to call him, wasnow becoming convalescent, and while he had not yet returned to hisduties as Columbian Guard, which he had assured me he meant soon todo, he was beginning to go about by night and by day, as his strengthincreased, quite regardless, seemingly, of the fact that he had beenattacked once, and had every reason to think the act might be repeatedin some new fashion. 

I had warned him of the risk he might run by going about alone atnight, for I saw that when he was not in the presence of JuneJenrys--as he was now sure to be, for a little time at least, everyday--he was unnaturally restless. 

I had learned to know him too well to suggest a companion for hisevening strolls, but I kept an eye upon him, and, so long as he didnot venture from the grounds, felt tolerably secure of his safety. 

Much of the great inclosure was as light and as safe by night as byday, but Lossing, while recovering in the hospital, had fallen in lovewith the lake, so near at hand, and his first stroll by day was inthis direction, as well as his first evening venture. 

Out across the Government Plaza, along the shore to the brick gunboat, and on northward where the lights were faint and the risk greatest, orso it seemed to me, he went that night, and the next, and the next. 

But not alone, when he took his second promenade lake-ward. The boyBilly was at his heels unseen but watchful, and well knowing how toact should danger threaten. 

 * * * * *

In the meantime, since the night of the attack upon Lossing, thebrunette, Bob, Delbras, Smug--all had vanished utterly. Neither inMidway nor elsewhere, as Turks or gentlemen of leisure, were they seenby Dave, myself, or the boy Billy. 

'But they're here all right!' Dave declared, 'and if we don't find anew gap in the fence somewhere soon, I don't know the gentry!'

During Lossing's confinement in the hospital, after he had begun tomend, I had brought Dave to see him, and after that he had severaltimes looked in upon the invalid; sometimes at my request, and laterfor his own pleasure as well. 

Dave's bluff ways had made for him a friend in our guard, and so oneday, the day following that of Lossing's third lakeside promenade, Iasked Dave, who had declared himself off duty for the night, to go andsee him. 

I had just received a letter from Boston which made me anxious to seeMiss Jenrys; and as I had not called upon nor met her during the day, I decided to go to Washington Avenue that evening. 

'Go early, Dave, ' I said, when he had assured me of his readiness togo, 'and ask him to put in the evening with you. I don't like theselakeshore prowls. The fellow's a good one with his fists, but he don'tseem to realize that it's treachery, a blow in the back, that he mustguard against. '

Dave went his way, and it being rather early for my call, I sat downto re-read Mr. Trent's letter. 

It was brief and evidently penned under excitement. He had received ananonymous letter from Chicago, proposing to open negotiations for theransom of his son, who, it declared, was at that moment a prisoner inthe hands of desperate men. 

 'In short, ' Trent's letter ended, 'it's an alarming letter. I write this in haste that it may reach you at once, and can only say that my daughter and Miss O'Neil, in my absence, opened and read the letter, and have written to Miss Jenrys in full. I am very anxious to know what they have written. See Miss J---- at once; it is important. I have no time for more. 

 'Yours hastily, 'TRENT. '

As I was turning the key in the lock and about to set out at once forWashington Avenue, Brainerd came puffing up the stairs. 

'He's gone!' he panted, 'and I was afraid you'd be!'

'Do you mean Lossing?'

'Of course! He laid off his regimentals, one of the guards told me, and put on a swell evening suit, and away he went. Want me to followhim?'

'Yes, ' I answered promptly. 'I can't come home with him, I fear; Imust somehow see the ladies alone. You know the place, Dave, do younot? He won't stay late, you know. '

I was not greatly surprised to hear of Lossing in Washington Avenue, for we knew well enough that his first evening's visit would be toMiss Jenrys. He had been three or four times taken to the gate in arolling chair, and had walked from there to the house for a morningcall; but this was his first evening outside the grounds since hisrecovery. 

As I approached the house I saw that someone was before me, already atthe threshold, and ringing the bell. I could not identify the figure, because of the two trees which stood one on each side of the stonesteps before the door, the one half concealing his figure, the otherthe light at the corner below. 

The door opened so promptly that he was admitted before I had left thepavement, and the visitor, Lossing as I supposed, passed in. 

'Poor fellow, ' I said to myself, 'I won't come upon his very heels. I'll give him a few moments, at least, alone with the lady of hischoice, ' and I turned away and walked at a moderate pace around theblock. But I could spare him no further grace, and so upon againreaching the house I ran up the steps and rang hastily. 

The rooms occupied by the ladies as parlour and reception rooms weresmall and cosy, and thrown together by an arch, beneath which a_portière_ was draped, and Miss Ross came forward to greet me at thedoorway of the first of these. 

I could hear a murmur of conversation from the farther room, but itwas not until I was standing beneath the curtained archway that I saw, to my amazement, Lossing and Monsieur Voisin at the farther side ofthe room, talking amiable nothings, as men of the world will when theymeet. Both were in evening dress, and the Frenchman held in his hand asplendid bunch of American Beauty roses. 

Voisin greeted me with _empressement_, and Lossing carelesslyacknowledged 'having met me before. '

Miss Jenrys, her aunt informed me, as she had before informed theothers, was engaged upon a letter of some importance, which must besent in the early mail. She would join us soon; and then I learnedfrom our desultory talk that it was Voisin for whose accommodation Ihad been pacing the block, and that Lossing had been the firstarrival. 

These two were still seated at the rear of the inner room, with MissRoss at a little table near its centre and myself opposite her, andwith my back to the archway, when there came a sudden sound at theouter door. It opened and closed quickly, and Miss Jenrys' voiceexclaimed:

'Oh, Mr. Masters! I have had such a letter! One of those wretches haswritten that he will ransom poor lost Gerald Trent for----'

'June, my dear, come and receive thy visitors before thee tells thynews. '

There was just a second of embarrassed silence, and then Miss Jenryscame forward and greeted her guests, with precisely the same courteouswelcome extended to us each and all. 

But she only referred to her exclamatory first words in reply toMonsieur Voisin's question:

'You greeted us with some rather startling words, Miss Jenrys. Pardonme, but is it true that you have a friend lost in this wonderfulcity?'

But Miss Jenrys was not to be made to commit herself a second time. 

'Not at all; it is simply some news just given me by a correspondent, who has told me in a former letter about the disappearance of a youngman whom I do not know. '

'A disappearance! Is it possible? I am interested. ' He turned quicklytoward me. 'May I ask from you the details?'

'You can learn from the daily papers as much as I can tell you, ' Ireplied, with my most candid smile. 'I read some time since of such adisappearance, and speaking of it casually to Miss Jenrys, learnedfrom her that she had the news direct from a young lady correspondentwho chanced to know the young man and his family. Is that reportedcorrectly, Miss Jenrys?'

She nodded. 

'And he has been ransomed, you say? That is well indeed, ' persistedVoisin. 

There was a brief moment of silence, during which I knew that her eyeswere fixed upon my face; but other eyes were also keenly watching, andI did not return her gaze. 

'Not ransomed, ' Miss Jenrys said, 'not yet; there has been an offer ofsome sort, a proposition, I understand;' and she turned to Lossing andbegan to question him about his health, and then, before the Frenchmancould renew his queries, began telling them both of a recent letterfrom her New York aunt, full, it would seem, of bits of society news, and mention of persons known to herself, Lossing, and Voisin; and shewas so well aided by her aunt and Lossing, not to mention myself, thatthere was no renewal of the former subject, and after a very shortcall Monsieur Voisin made his adieus, expressed 'the keenest pleasure'at having encountered Mr. Lossing in Chicago, and his determination tosee more of him. 

When the door had closed behind him I arose, and without a word ofexplanation crossed the two rooms, and, peering out through the littlebay-window overlooking the street, saw Monsieur Voisin standing uponthe pavement outside, and casting slow glances, first up and then downthe street; after which he walked briskly southward. 

There was no need of an explanation where those three were concerned, and I made none. No one referred to Monsieur Voisin, his visit, or hisinterest in the Trent disappearance, and nothing was said for a timeconcerning the letter which was foremost in Miss Jenrys' mind and inmine. 

For half an hour I conversed with Miss Ross and left the lovers to anuninterrupted chat; at the end of that time Lossing took his leave. Asyet he had heard but the briefest outlines of the Trent affair; but inspite of my own request that he would remain and make one at ourcouncils, he withdrew, declaring himself under orders to keep earlyhours. 

I let him go without uneasiness, for was not Dave Brainerd lurkingsomewhere very near, and very much to be relied upon?

He had said good-bye to the little Quakeress in the back parlour, andthen Miss Jenrys and myself had walked with him the length of the twosmall rooms, bidding him goodnight at the door. 

As the street-door was heard to close behind him, Miss Jenrys turnedto me, caught my arm, and said quickly, beseechingly:

'Mr. Masters, won't you follow him home? I--I have a strange feelingthat he is not safe. It is not far, and it is early. Can you not comeback--please?

There was no hesitation, no blushes; she spoke like a woman forgetfulof self in her anxiety for another; and when I told her that my friendwas doubtless awaiting him, she only wrung her hands. 

'He may not be now. It is so early, and I shall not feel at ease untilI know. Mr. Masters, I am sure there is danger very near us; I feelit. Won't you go--and come back when all is safe?'

CHAPTER XXIII. 

'YOU ARE SUFFERING IN MY STEAD. '

It was useless to argue, and how could I refuse? For the first time, and greatly to my amazement, I saw that self-contained and sweetlyreasonable young woman deaf to reason, and in that strange conditionwhich, for lack of power to understand, we men call 'hysterical. '

I went, and in spite of myself I left her presence feeling somehowaroused and watchful--quite prepared, for a little time, to see anassassin at every corner and beneath every tree. 

'Do not overtake him, ' had been her last command. 'It might offendhim. Only see him safe at his own door. '

I was not five minutes behind Lossing, and he could not, or would not, I knew, walk rapidly. I expected to come close upon his heels before Ihad reached the first corner. 

That he would take the most direct and nearest route, I felt, was amatter of course. In fact, he knew no other, or so I thought. 

The direct route was straight north to Fifty-seventh Street, and eastto the entrance gate; but though I walked fast, and then almost ran, Icould see nothing of Lossing and nothing of Dave Brainerd. 

What did it mean? When I had reached the end of the first block, without a sight of Lossing, I hastened across the intersecting streetand hurried on another block, and still no Lossing. I paused, lookedaround me, and seeing and hearing nothing, increased my steps almostto a run. 

At Fifty-seventh Street I paused, before turning, to look about me andto listen. After the first block, going east, this street became quitedensely shaded by the trees on either side. 

I had now reached the second block on the south side of the street, that which contained the vacant lots and the overshadowing trees, beneath which the bootblack's stand was placed by day; and here againI paused and listened, in the hope that in the quiet about me I mighthear and recognise Lossing's slow, even step. But no step was heard, and I moved on. 

'It is early yet, ' I assured myself; 'so early that thugs andnight-birds are hardly likely to be abroad. '

I was now opposite the bootblack's stand on the skeleton uprightswhich supported his rainy-day awning, and the platform upon which hispatrons sat enthroned in state--and here memory fails me. 

I had turned my gaze upon the gibbet-like uprights, andsimultaneously, as it now seems to me, a voice shouted my name; butthe sound and something else came together--something bringing with ita sting and the sounds of a rampant engine. I saw a myriad of flashinglights, heard a tremendous crash, and--that was all. 

I came to myself a little later, outstretched upon a wire cot, andwith a cretonne cushion beneath what felt like a very large andmuch-battered prize pumpkin, but what was in reality my head. Therewas a glow of electric light all about and above me, and bottles ofall sizes and colours on every side. 

Slowly it dawned upon my dazed senses that I was in the cornerdrug-store where I had more than once called, on my return fromWashington Avenue, to buy a cigar. 

I stirred slightly, and then the faces of Dave Brainerd, Lossing, thedruggist, and a big policeman came suddenly into view surrounding mycot. 

'Hello, old man, glad to see you back, ' was Dave's characteristicgreeting, and the druggist, who proved to be a physician as well, promptly placed a finger on my pulse. 

'Better, ' he said laconically, and turning, took from the desk at hisback a glass which he held before me. 'Can you lift your head anddrink this?' he asked. 

I made a feeble effort, and with Dave's assistance got my head highenough to swallow the medicine. 

'Now, ' said the surgeon, 'lie still, and I think before long you willbe all right, except for a sore head, which you will probably keep fora day or two. '

For some time longer I lay quiet, and with no desire to think orspeak; then slowly the noise and dizziness wore away, and the strengthcame back to my limbs; but when I attempted to rise, I found that myhead was paining me severely, and I contented myself with resting uponmy elbow and asking, with my eyes on Dave:

'What has happened?'

'Sandbag, ' replied Dave tersely. 'Didn't you feel it?'

'I feel it now, ' I said, trying to smile feebly, for I knew that Dave, now assured that my hurt was not serious, was giving vent to hisrelief in a characteristic bit of chaff. 

'You see, it was this way, ' he went on. 'Lossing here and I werewalking along on the north side of the street, just down here, and wesaw you cross the street on the opposite side; the lamp at the cornershowed you plainly. We saw you stop and look, and seem to listen, andthen go on, and repeat the same manoeuvre after you had crossed thestreet. We had stopped under a tree, and close against the wall nearlyopposite that bootblack's stand; and we meant to cross and surpriseyou, when all at once out from behind that platform sprang someone. Igave a yell, and we heard you go down. I ran to you, and Lossing ranand fired after the fellow, who cut across the open ground. I calledhim back when I saw that you were insensible, and the next minute thisofficer came up. He ran to this place (lucky it is so near), andbrought the cot, and here you are. Can you remember? Did you hear mecall?'

'Y--yes, ' I said slowly, 'I--I think I tried to turn. '

'And that saved you, no doubt, ' declared the druggist. 'The fellowmeant to do you deadly hurt--the weapon shows that. He meant to strikeyou lower, across the back of the neck; but, at the call, you turned, just as he had taken aim, and as a result you received the blow on theback of the skull, the thickest part; and it struck with less thanhalf its force, glancing away as your head moved sidewise. It was mostfortunate for you. '

And now, as I began to think and remember, I knew that Miss Jenryswould be waiting anxiously, and that delay would mean for her, in themood in which I had left her, a time of terrible suspense. 

I brought myself to a sitting posture, and then got upon my feet, rather weakly. The druggist touched my wrist again. 

'If you'll take my advice, ' he said, 'you will stay right here for thenight. I have a comfortable room at the back here, and I think, bykeeping up an application during the night, a cooling and healinglotion that will keep out inflammation, you will come out in themorning with nothing worse than a sore and tender skull to show foryour encounter. I am a regular physician--you'll be quite safe withme. '

I accepted his courtesy as frankly as he had proffered it, and then, while he busied himself preparing the cooling lotion, I told Dave howI had promised to return, and that Miss Jenrys must not be kept longerin expectation. I did not tell him why I had left the house, to returnagain so soon, and Dave was not the man to question. 

'Tell her, ' I said, 'that all is right. She will understand; and laterI will explain to you. And tell her I find that I must delay thereading of that letter until to-morrow morning; that it is a purelypersonal matter that detains me, and that I will explain when wemeet. ' He got up to go, and I turned to Lossing, who, with the tact sonatural to him, had gone to the front of the long room, and was idlyturning the leaves of a directory. 'Dave is about to do the thing Ifailed to do, because of this sore head, ' I said to him. 'I wish youwould stay with me until he comes back. He won't be long. '

He seated himself without a question, and while Dave was gone, and myhost busy in preparing for my comfort, he talked lightly of this andthat, and finally of my unknown assailant. 

'I believe I hit him somewhere, ' he said, 'for I heard him drop anoath as he ran, and, by the way, he dropped something else, too. '

'What was that?'

He got up and went to the place where the policeman had been sittinguntil, assured that he could do nothing then, he had gone out withDave, declaring his intention to 'go and look over the ground, ' aspeech which caused Dave to smile behind his hat. From the floor, close against the wall, Lossing took up something, which he broughtforward and laid beside me upon the cot. 

It was a bar of iron at least four inches in circumference, andincased in a length of rubber tubing, which was tied tightly over eachend. 'That, ' said he, 'is the weapon, and if it had struck you fairly, it would have been your death. '

I held it in my hand. A death-dealing weapon indeed, and I shudderedas I put it down, asking myself meanwhile, 'Was it meant for me?'

'But for you, ' I said aloud, 'you and Brainerd----'

'Don't!' He put up his hand quickly. 'When I think of what you havedone for me, and--I--I fear you are suffering now in my stead. '

It was the echo of my own thought, and I was glad to see my hostreappear, thus cutting short the subject, which I was glad to dropjust then. 

The next morning found me somewhat the worse for my adventure, yetthankful to find that I could go about my day's business, a littlestiffened from my fall, a trifle weaker than usual, and with an achingand somewhat misshapen head. But a detective learns to bear occasionalhard knocks with fortitude, and I was thankful to be out of the affairso easily. 

As an evidence of my dazed condition of the night before was the factthat I had not once thought to ask how Dave and Lossing chanced to beso near me at my time of need. It was one of my first thoughts andquestions in the morning, however. 

'You see, ' explained Dave, 'I had not looked for any one quite soearly, but I had stationed myself very near, on the side of the streetopposite the house, and was pacing up and down, keeping the place insight. I had a half-dozen cigars and a pocket full of matches, andwhen I wanted to turn, if anyone was in sight, I stopped and wasted acouple of minutes trying to light my cigar--see?'

'Distinctly. '

'Well, of course, I looked to see our friend come out and go north;and so, while I was just on the turn, I was a little upset to seesomeone come out of Miss J. 's door and turn square south. Of course Iwent south, too, and to carry out your plan, I, being nearer the southcrossing than he, turned and crossed in order to meet him, and allready to be properly surprised at the encounter, you know, accordingto orders. Well, sir, we met right at the opposite corner, and insteadof our man, there was a tall, dark, well-dressed person, who hastenedhis steps a bit in passing me. '

He stopped, as if for an explanation. 

'It was Voisin, ' I said. 'The Frenchman I told you of. '

'Um! I thought as much! Well, I stopped to light my cigar, and theFrenchman turned on the east side of the street and went back the wayhe came; I, on my side, did likewise. At the north end of the block heturned again, this time without crossing, and I did likewise. I didn'ttry to keep shady, for I thought it began to look like a game offreezeout, and I kept the west side of the street. As might have beenexpected, after two or three turns he left the field at the south endof the block, going east; and very soon after your man came out andturned south, which surprised me a little. He walked very fast, but Icaught up and tackled him, calling him by your name and thenapologizing, and explaining that, knowing you were to call upon MissJ. , I had been on the lay for you, having a matter of business toimpart as promptly as possible. '

'Do you think he suspected us?'

'Not then. He told me very delicately that he had left early, feelingsure that you had some matter of importance to discuss with theladies, and added his fear that you would not appear for some timeyet. Of course I gave up all idea of waiting, and went on with him;and to pass the time and make myself agreeable I told him about theother fellow--what d'ye call him?'

'Voisin. '

'Yes, Voisin. We had reached the south corner where Voisin had turnedeast, and Lossing was walking briskly. At the corner he turned to meand proposed taking the longest route home by going over to MadisonAvenue. In fact, he felt like walking, he said. It was this queerroute that set me to telling him about Voisin's promenade, and I woundup by wondering if you would take a new route, too. At that he took myarm and let me know in that polite way of his that he suspected ourlittle game; that he knew how anxious you were for his safety, andthat he appreciated your interest. "But, " says he, "don't you see thatif there is danger abroad to-night, it is Masters who runs the risk?"I saw that he was really uneasy, and so when he proposed that weshould hasten on to Fifty-seventh Street and go down past Miss Jenrys'once more, I agreed, thinking, I will admit, that it was a sort offool's errand. 

'Well, sir, we had been walking at a brisk pace and were half-way downthe block between the avenues, when we saw a figure start out from thecorner beyond, and run across the street. We were almost at thecorner, and to avoid the light just there we crossed the street andwent along in the shadow of the trees and buildings, past the lightand on to the opposite corner. We had just reached it and had stoppedto look and listen for the skulkers, when we saw you come into thelight, stop, look about, and seem to listen. 

'"He's after that fellow, " I whispered to Lossing; "let's keep quietand be ready to lend a hand. " We could just see the fellow jump out atyou. It's lucky the night was so clear, the shade was so thick justthere. '

CHAPTER XXIV. 

'IT IS OUR FIRST CLUE. '

Miss Jenrys met me that morning almost at the threshold. She hadpassed a restless night, for my message had not wholly allayed herfear, and she did not conceal the fact. 

'I have been very anxious, ' were her first words. 'Perhaps I have beenfoolish, but somehow I seem to have got into a new world, and I mightvery well pose for a Braddon heroine. I believe I am growinghysterical. What with my own little mystery, which seems to havestepped into the background, happily for me, and all the biggermysteries--but there, ' breaking into a nervous laugh, 'I can hold mytongue. Now tell me what happened last night. Oh!' catching my look ofsurprise, 'something happened, I know. I felt it. '

She was indeed woefully nervous, but to withhold anything would onlyincrease the strain; so I told her as briefly as possible the story ofmy encounter, and the part played in it by Lossing and Dave. But I didnot speak of Dave's meeting with Monsieur Voisin, and I hardly neededto tell her how it happened that my friend and Lossing were sofortunately at hand. 

'I am not surprised, ' she said, when I had told my story, 'but I am, oh, so thankful that you escaped with nothing worse. I felt so surethere was danger, and I urged you into it. But if you had not gone, Ifeel certain it would have been worse. '

She talked on in this strain for some moments, and it was plain to me, though she did not put the thought into words, that she believed theattack was meant for Lossing, and not for myself. 

Suddenly she sprang up. 'I am forgetting poor Gerald Trent!' sheexclaimed, and crossing the room, unlocked her desk, took out theletter, and placed it in my hands. It was a long letter, full oflamentations and repetitions; telling the story in a rambling, exclamatory, hysterical fashion; the letter of a young girl, astranger to sorrow and its discipline, who finds herself suddenlyplunged into a labyrinth of fear, terror, suspense; loving much andtortured through that love; and her story was briefly this:

Mr. Trent had seized the opportunity afforded by the change in hiswife's condition, which, while neither really better nor worse, wasmuch quieter. 'In fact, ' wrote Miss O'Neil, 'while she does notrecognise any of us, she constantly fancies us all about her, and shetalks to him in such a low, pathetic, pitiful tone, half an hour at atime, and then drops into a doze, only to wake up and begin overagain. She does not know us, and while in this state, Dr. Lane says, she is better alone with the nurse. ' This being the case, Mr. Trenthad left home for a day to look after some long-neglected businessmatter, and in his absence the letter had arrived. It was addressed toMr. Trent in a strange hand, a woman's hand it would seem, and it wasfrom Chicago. They had waited in anxious suspense until, chancing tothink that it might be an important message and a prompt answerrequired, Miss Trent had, after some hesitation, opened the letter, acopy of which was at this point inserted. It ran thus, beginning withMr. Trent's full name and correct address:

 'SIR, 'In writing this I am perhaps risking my own life, as your son's is risked every day that he passes a prisoner in a place where he is as safely hidden as if he were already out of the world. 

 'Not only is your boy a prisoner, but he is a sick man. Your advertised rewards have been read and laughed at. The men who have him in charge are no common criminals. They mean to secure a fortune in return for young Trent. They know that his father is a millionaire, and his sweetheart an heiress in her own right. 

 'It is in my power, as one of the party in possession, to release your son. I waste no time in platitudes, but state frankly here my object in thus addressing you. I wish to leave the clique for reasons of my own, and to do this I must have money. This is why I propose to help you for a consideration. The "clique" will take no less than a modest fortune, hundreds of thousands of dollars. I will accept ten thousand. For this sum I will find a way to set your son at liberty. 

 'This is my plan: You no doubt have in Chicago some friend who can and will oblige you. Request this friend to insert in three of the city papers here an advertisement as follows: If you accept you will say, "Number three, we decline, " which I will read by contraries. You will then send by express, to be called for, a package containing ten thousand dollars in bank-notes--none larger than one hundred nor smaller than ten--and a letter in which you shall bind yourself not to take advantage in any way of my application for this packet at the express office; not to set a watch upon me, or in any way attempt to entrap me. This done, I will agree on my part to send you, twenty-four hours after receipt of your package, a letter telling you in detail where your son is and how to reach him. I will not agree to betray his captors; I would not be safe anywhere if I did; and it is liberty without a master, and an easier and a safer life, that I seek. I will also let your son know that he may expect a rescue. 

 'In proposing this I am running a risk, and in accepting it, while you will risk your money, I, if you betray me, risk my life. If you accept this proposal you will see your son alive, and soon. If you refuse--he is in the hands of desperate men, who will never give him up except on their own terms; they will wait until, driven to despair, you will offer them, through the press, a fortune, and--even then you may receive, after long waiting, only a corpse. As to the search you are making, we know your men and their methods, and they are capable of taking a bribe if it is large enough. It may interest you to know that they have already held one amicable meeting with our leaders, and in the end you are likely to pay them double. As to finding your son, the men who have him safe and secure will not hesitate to take his life the moment they know that they are likely to lose the game. I do not threaten, but I do assure you that your best chance of seeing your son alive and in his right mind lies in your sending me the two words, "We decline, " with express to E. Roe. 

 'Yours, 'ON THE SQUARE. '

A horrible letter, indeed! and the awful pictures which poor HildaO'Neil's excited imagination drew of the possible situations, in someone of which her lover might be suffering, lent the last touch ofgloom to the wretched whole. She saw him in some dingy cellar, illunto death, neglected, helpless, and heartbroken; she saw him druggedinto insanity, a possibility hinted at by the artful writer of theanonymous letter, and which I had, more than once, considered as bothpossible and probable, and she implored Miss Jenrys to help her andsave her lover. 

'June, my life, my very life is in your hands! I cannot wait for Mr. Trent; eight long hours almost! I must act. Papa left me _carteblanche_ at the bank; I was to draw as I needed, and I will go atonce, as soon as this letter is despatched, and see that the money issecured and sent to you; and the letter--the promise--Mr. Trent mustmake it, and he will. But the answer, June, put that in the paper atonce, so that Gerry may soon know that he is to be released. You won'trefuse, I know; and, June, telegraph me the moment it is done, ' etc. 

When I had put the letter down, after reading the copied portiontwice, Miss Jenrys asked breathlessly:

'What must be done?'

I put into her hand Mr. Trent's letter, received the previous night, and when she had read it, she looked troubled. 

'He seems to doubt this letter?'

'And so do I. '

'But why? how? It sounds plausible. '

'Too plausible. I must think this matter over. Mind, I do not say theletter was not written by some dissatisfied member of the band, butdon't you see its weak point? He may wish to leave them, and doubtlesswould like to depart with a full pocket; but he would never dare torelease Trent, even if he could. It's simply a trick. They are playingartfully upon the anxiety, the suspense, the wretched state of fearand hope and dread in which young Trent's friends are held, to extortfrom them a little money, which will keep them in comfort while theywear out either the father or the son. '

'How? Tell me how. '

'I wish I could! I will tell you how it looks to me. Young Trent hasbeen missing now more than a fortnight----'

'Three weeks, almost. '

'You are right. Now, here are three theories: First, he may be dead. He would hardly submit to capture and imprisonment without resistance, and may have died while a prisoner. Next, he may have been so druggedas to have driven him out of his senses. Or, he may be a prisoner insome secure retreat, while his captors are trying to break his spiritand force him to write to his friends for a great sum of money by wayof ransom. But we must act now and speculate later upon all thesepossibilities. Do you think Miss O'Neil can have secured the money?'

'I do; yes. Her father's liberality is well known. She could borrowthe amount if need be; she comes into her mother's fortune in a fewmonths. '

'Then we must keep a man constantly at the express office on thelook-out for E. Roe. ' I got up and caught at my hat. 

'Are you going now?'

'Miss Jenrys, there is not a moment to lose. That money, if sent, mustbe stopped, if it is possible! And I must see my partner. Thankgoodness, we have an actual clue at last!'

'At last! A clue! What do you mean?'

I turned at the door. 'Don't you see that this is really the firsthint we have had to indicate that young Trent is still alive and aprisoner. Up to this moment all has been theory and surmise. If thisletter is not a wretched fraud, a bold scheme to obtain money, hatchedin the brain of some villain who has seen the advertised rewards andknows nothing about Trent, it is our first clue, and through it we mayfind him. ' And promising to call upon her again that evening, orsooner if possible, I hastened to the nearest telegraph-office. 

CHAPTER XXV. 

'IT'S A SNARE. '

My first act upon reaching the telegraph-office was to send a message, at Miss Jenrys' request and in her name, to Hilda O'Neil. 

'Word it as you think best, ' Miss Jenrys had said, and accordingly Ihad sent this message:

 'MISS HILDA O'NEIL, 'Yours received. Will do my best for you. Have courage. 

 'J. J. '

This, while indefinite, was at least not discouraging. To Mr. Trent Iwired at some length, as follows:

 'Has money package been sent? Answer. If sent, order it held until further notice. Send at once original letter. It may prove a clue. Letter follows. 

 'MASTERS. '

This done, I wrote at once to Mr. Trent, setting forth my belief thatthe letter was only a scheme to extort money, repeating my messagewith explanatory detail, and outlining a plan of action which wouldawait his approval by telegraph, and then be put into immediateexecution. This I posted with a special delivery stamp, and finding myhead growing large and exceedingly painful, I went to my own quarters, compelled for a time to give up to the combined pain and fatigue whichseemed suddenly to overcome me. But in spite of the pain in my head Icould not withdraw my thoughts from this singular letter; and aftertossing restlessly for an hour I got up, and having treated my achingskull to a gentle rubbing with my friend the druggist's soothinglotion, I sallied forth and wandered about the Exposition groundsuntil the time for luncheon and my meeting with Dave came together. 

 * * * * *

Dave was anxious to hear the outcome of my visit to Miss Jenrys, andwe made haste with our luncheon and were soon back in our room, when Itold him the little I had to tell and put into his hand Miss O'Neil'sletter, bidding him read the page containing what she declared to bean 'exact copy' of the anonymous letter. 

Dave read the singular document, as I had done before him, once andagain; and then, placing it upon his knee, he sat looking at the floorand biting his under lip, a way he had when puzzled or in doubt. Finally he looked up. 'What do you think of this?' he asked. 

'It's a snare. Don't you think so?'

'Yes; but do you swallow this story of the gang?'

'Old man, supposing young Trent to be alive and in duress somewhere, do you imagine that one man, or even two, could keep him day andnight?'

'U-m-m--no. '

'Well, I said to Miss Jenrys an absurd thing. I said the letter mighthave been suggested by seeing those reward notices; but those noticesdid not give Mr. Trent's full name, and street, and number. No, sir, that letter was written by someone who has seen the contents of GeraldTrent's pockets, and who knows where he is, dead or alive. '

'But you don't think he means business?'

'No. And neither do you. If Trent is in the hands of the gang, no oneout of the lot will be permitted to open the doors to him. Besides, doyou think that a party of men who have the daring and the ability tokeep a prisoner three weeks safely hidden will release him for apaltry ten thousand, knowing his father to be a multi-millionaire?'

'U-m-m--just so. And how do they keep him?'

'Well, to me that letter is very suggestive. It hints at a possiblesituation. It's hard to imagine how a young man, in possession of hisstrength and senses, could be held a prisoner here in Chicago. But letus say he is ill. Suppose, for instance, he was attacked, thosediamonds he is said to have worn being the bait; he is injured; theysearch him and find him a valuable person to have and to hold. If heis ill they can keep him without much trouble. Or, the letter hints atinsanity; suppose he was lured somewhere and drugged--kept drugged. Aneasy way to bring about insanity, eh?'

'Carl!' exclaimed Dave, with one of his sudden, decisive gestures, 'Carl, old man, I believe you've struck the trail! What's your nextmove?'

'My first move, ' I corrected, 'will depend upon Mr. Trent. I can donothing until I hear from him. '

'And then?' urged Dave. 

'I can see no better way to begin than to try and break up the gang. '

'Before you find it?' he laughed. 

'Before I look for it. '

'Good Injuns! How?'

'By making that anonymous letter public--putting it in print. '

'Jim-me-net-ti!'

 * * * * *

In spite of the diligence of the watchers they could not regain thelost trail of the little brunette, nor, indeed, of the others; andafter discussing and discarding many traps and plans, Dave ventured asuggestion. 

'If that brunette has not given up her pursuit of Miss Jenrys, ' hesaid, 'why not try to reach her that way? Ask her to make anappointment. Miss Jenrys will consent. '

I could think of nothing better, but I did not act upon the suggestionuntil evening, when I went, this time in company with Lossing, to callupon the two ladies and give an account of my day's doings. 

With the perfection of tact Lossing joined Miss Ross in the rear room, and left Miss Jenrys and myself to discuss our plans. I told her thelittle I had done in the Trent affair, and of my plans, contingentupon Mr. Trent's approval. 

'He will approve, I am sure of it, ' she said with decision. 'He hastaken every precaution, and has made himself familiar with your recordthrough the Boston chief of police. He has every reason, so he writesme, to have faith in you and in your judgment. I think you know that. '

I thanked her for the assurance that my plans would be favourablyreceived, and then told her of my wish to use her name in trying todraw out the brunette. 

'I see no other way, ' I concluded; 'and having once written her overyour initials she may respond. Of course the reply must come to you atthe office in the Government Building. '

'But you will receive it. I can give you my card, can I not?'

'Then you do not object?'

'How can I? Did I not promise you my help? Oh, I am quite enlistednow; although after such a _faux pas_ as I made last night I cannotboast of my finesse. I quite excited Monsieur Voisin by my exclamatoryentrance. '

'And how?' I asked quietly, but inwardly eager. 

'You remember how he questioned me about the "missing person?" Well, he called this afternoon. Aunt Ann and I had just returned from theLiberal Arts Building, where we had spent three long hours, and thoughhis call was brief he did not forget to ask again about that "missingperson. " He was almost inquisitive. '

'And you?' I asked, inwardly anxious. 

'He learned nothing more from me, rest assured. His curiosity seemsquite unlike him. '

'Possibly, ' I hazarded, 'he has some inkling of my true inwardness, and thinks I have made you my confidant. Do you think it possible?'

'Possible, perhaps, but not the fact, ' she replied, with a littlelaugh. 'My dear aunt has, in some way, given him the impression thatyou are a friend or protégé of hers. I am quite certain that hebelieves this, for he had the audacity to ask me to-day how long myaunt's acquaintance with you had been; and when I assured him that youand she were "quite old friends, " he asked, with rather a queerintonation, if auntie knew what your occupation was, and when Imurmured something about journalism, he smiled rather knowingly. '

'A clear case, ' I said, smiling. 'He guesses, at least, at mybusiness, and perhaps fancies me deceiving your dear aunt. We will lethim continue in that error, if possible. '

I went home that evening pondering the question, Did Monsieur Voisinknow me for what I was, and, if so, how? Of one thing I was certain. Since our first meeting he had always affected a most friendlyinterest in me; and that he was secretly studying me, I felt quiteassured. 

Another thing furnished me with some food for thought: Not long beforewe took our leave, and while Miss Jenrys and Lossing were deep in thediscussion of the latest Spanish novel, Miss Ross said to me, quiteabruptly, and apropos of nothing:

'Did June tell you that Monsieur Voisin was here to-day?'

I nodded, and she went on:

'You know my feeling where he is concerned; at least, I think you do. He is growing really aggressive, and June is blind to it; she ispreoccupied. But I see all where she is concerned, and he will makeher trouble. He is infatuated and bitterly jealous, and he is a manwho knows no law but his own will. Do I not read him aright?'

 * * * * *

The next morning I sent a note, written in the same dainty hand as thefirst, and signed with the initials J. J. , to the little brunette, sending it as before to the café where she had lodged, and twenty-fourhours later the telegram from Boston came. 

In addition to my own letter, I had sent in the same envelope a copyof Miss O'Neil's, or as much of it as would help Mr. Trent tounderstand all that had been done by the young ladies in his absence. 

His telegram read:

 'Thanks for all. Carry out plan. Have ordered return of money. Letter follows. 

 'TRENT. '

Two days later came Mr. Trent's letter, and with it the originalcomposition of Mr. E. Roe, 'On the Square. '

As Miss O'Neil had said, it was written in a small, clear, angularhand, which had the look of a genuine autograph, without attempt atdisguise. 

In this I quite agreed with her, and I stowed the letter carefullyaway for future use. Mr. Trent in his letter assured me that he couldnot make E. Roe's letter ring true, and that he had finally convincedhis daughter and Miss O'Neil that they had made a mistake. 'Go on inyour own way, ' he concluded; 'and I hope before long to be with you. My wife has recovered from her delirium--very weak, but quite saneexcept upon one point--she believes our son to be ill in a hospital inChicago, and the doctor has bidden us humour her in thishallucination, as it may save her life. He looks now for a gradualrecovery, and when she is a little stronger I shall come to you;already she has planned for the journey, and assured me that our boyneeds me most. It is sad, inexpressibly so, but it is better, at leastfor her. When I can join you in your work, and your waiting, I shall, I am sure, feel more hopeful, and I trust less impatient of delay. '

CHAPTER XXVI. 

A COLUMBIAN GUARD. 

It was still our theory--Dave's and mine--that, granted our originalquarry was still in the White City, we must sooner or later encounterit, if we continued to traverse the thickly populated enclosure longenough, and with an eye single to our search. 

We believed as firmly, yes, more firmly than at first, that Delbrasand his band were still, much of the time, in Midway; and after longwatching we had grown to believe that they had somewhere upon StonyIsland Avenue a retreat where all could find shelter and safety intime of need. 

'But one thing's certain, ' quoth Dave, when we were discussing thematter, 'wherever the place is, they can approach it from moredirections and more entrances than one. They, some of them, have beenseen to enter saloons, to go upstairs, around corners, and intobasements, and are never seen to come out I can only account for it inone way. '

'And what is that?' I questioned. 

'They enter always at the side or rear, and never at the front, andthey only do this when they know, by signal, that the way is clear. '

'If that is true, ' I said, 'we shall find them sooner or later. '

One of the characters assumed by me when going about the grounds in mycapacity of a detective was that of a Columbian Guard. I had a nattyblue uniform, in which, when donned with the addition of a brown curlywig, and a luxuriant moustache just light enough to be called blond, Ibecame a really distinguished guard. And more than once, when thusattired, I have watched the conscious faces and overburdened shouldersand heads of the multitudes of uniformed martyrs who, on theseoft-recurring dedication days, State and national, not to mentionreceptions to the great--native and foreign--tramped in sun, mud, orrain, arrayed in all the rainbow hues, beplumed, gilded, anduncomfortable, and have thanked the good sense and good taste thatevolved for the manly good-looking 'C. G. ' a uniform at once tasteful, soldierly, and subdued, in which one might walk abroad and not feelshamefacedly aware that he was too brilliantly picturesque forcomfort. 

In this array I had more than once passed my acquaintances of thebureau and the hospital, Miss Jenrys and her aunt, and even Lossing, until one day it occurred to me that I might keep him near me, enjoyhis society, and still be on duty, by making myself known; and so, until he chose to go on duty for a part of the day, we went up anddown Midway, and in and out of the foreign villages together, as Davedescribed us, 'keeping step, with our chin-straps up. '

We had made our first appearance in the Plaisance as a brace of guardsoff duty, on the day upon which I posted the decoy letter to thelittle brunette. 

I had made this letter as brief as possible, merely asking her to namea day or evening when she would be at liberty to do the Liberal Arts, etc. , in company with the writer, and upon second thought, I saw thatit would be a great mistake for me to call for the reply, in case thebrunette caught at the bait. She had shown herself a wary opponent, and she might think it worth while to know who received her answer. 

It was late in the day when we left Midway, and with this new thoughtin my mind I dropped Lossing's arm as we approached the Java village, and skirting the west side of the inclosure, left the grounds by theMidway exit at Madison Avenue, and hastened on to Washington Avenue. 

As I turned a corner I saw a smart carriage at Miss Jenrys' door, butbefore I had reached the house I saw the driver turn his head andgather up his reins, and the next moment Monsieur Voisin, attired asif for a visit of ceremony, came down the steps slowly, almostreluctantly, it seemed to me, entered the carriage, and dashed past mewithout a glance to right or left. 

A card brought Miss Jenrys to the little reception-room where Iwaited, and when she had inspected my disguise, which she declaredquite perfect, I made known my errand, and, as I fully expected, shedeclared my second thought best. 

'I will go to-morrow; there will hardly be an answer before that time;and--suppose we should meet?'

Before I could reply, the door opened and Miss Ross came in. 

'A disguised detective is a thing to see!' she declared; and then, when she had looked me over and marvelled at the fit of my wig, sheturned to her niece:

'June, child, did thee speak of our dilemma?'

'Auntie, you must give me time!' her face flushing rosily. 

'Time indeed! did not this young man's card say, 'A moment. In haste'?And can we entertain this strange young man by the hour? Fie uponthee, June! Do thy duty, else----'

June's hand went out in a pretty gesture, and between the two theymade the 'dilemma' clear to me. 

Some time since, when Miss Jenrys had expressed a wish to see thePlaisance thoroughly, I had offered my services, promising to takethem safely through the strange places, behind the mysterious gatesand doors, where they had not ventured to penetrate alone. Now theyhad an especial reason for wishing to make this excursion on the nextday, and--would I be at liberty?

I assured them that, in any case, I should doubtless pass a part ofthe day, at least, in Midway; and if they would allow me to includeLossing in our party there need be no change save that, instead ofwearing our guards' uniform, we would go as citizen sight-seers; andinstead of a party of two, there would be a quartet, and so it wasarranged. 

Before leaving the house I had been told what I had surmised beforeentering. 

Monsieur Voisin had asked Miss Jenrys to drive with him, and when shehad declined, upon a plea of indisposition, he had renewed theinvitation for the following day, whereupon Miss Jenrys, in sheerdesperation, recalled that proposed visit to Midway, and, falling backupon that, once more declined with thanks. 

Certainly Monsieur Voisin was a persistent wooer!

He was much in my thoughts, after I had left the ladies, and quitenaturally followed me into dreamland. My head was heavy with pain, andI went to my room at an early hour. It was long before the lotion didits work and I fell asleep, and then I dreamed that Monsieur Voisinhad carried off June Jenrys, and had shut her into an old building incare of the brunette, who locked her in a room at the top of the houseand then set it on fire below. 

I saw the flames shoot forth; I saw June's face, pallid and desperate, at the window, beyond the reach of the highest ladder; I saw Lossingdash through the flames; and with a yell I awoke. 

CHAPTER XXVII. 

'I'D SWEAR TO THEM HANDS ANYWHERE. '

At one o'clock Lossing and I met the ladies at the rendezvous, as wehad grown to call the Nebraska House parlour, and the little arbourbeside the stream. Lossing, quite himself again, was handsome in hiswell-fitting light summer suit, and happy in the prospect of anafternoon with beautiful June Jenrys, as who would not be? and I washumbly thankful that I was not, for that afternoon at least, obligedto wear a skin-tight wig upon my sore and tender cranium. 

That they might reserve their strength for the ins and outs of Midway, we brought to the gate, for the use of the ladies, the two stalwartchair-pushers, whose work, so far as they had been concerned, had beena sinecure indeed since the attack upon Lossing, and we went at once, and without stops by the way, to the post-office. But there was noletter for Miss Jenrys; and, although I looked about me with apractised eye, followed Miss Jenrys at a safe distance when sheentered the office, and kept the others waiting while I took a lastlong look, I could see no signs of the brunette. 

Midway Plaisance was almost unknown ground to Miss Ross, and herwonder, amusement, and quaint comments made her an interestingcompanion. 

'We must see it all, auntie, ' June Jenrys declared, her fair faceglowing with the sweet content with her companion and the moment, thatnot even the sorrows of her distant friends, which had weighed soheavily upon her own kind heart, could for the time overshadow orabate. 

'I shall be guided by my escort, ' was the reply of my companion, 'andI do feel that we may forget our anxieties for a time, and take in allthis strangeness and charm with our whole hearts. '

We did not linger long in the Hall of Beauty, the costumes of manynations being passed by with scarce a glance. But my companionslingered longest before the queer little person described in thecatalogue as the 'Display of China, ' who was a genuine child of theFlowery Kingdom, and generally fast asleep. 

We turned away from the very wet man in the submarine diving exhibitwith a mutual shiver, and rejoiced anew in the sunlight and free air. 

The glass-works, interesting as they assuredly were, we passed by asbeing not sufficiently foreign; and the Irish Industrial Village andBlarney Castle were voted among the things to be taken seriously, andnot in the spirit of Midway. Miss Ross was full of interest in thelittle Javanese, and we entered their enclosure, feeling sure thathere, at least, was something novel. 

We had peered into the primitive little houses upon their stilt-likeposts, and the ladies had spent some time in watching a quaint littlenative mother making efforts to at once ply the queer sticks whichhelped her in a strange sort of mat-weaving, and keep an eye upon apreternaturally solemn-faced infant, who, despite his gravity, seemedcapable of quite as much mischief as the average _enfant terrible_ ofcivilization. And then----

'Les go an' see the orang-outang, ' exclaimed someone behind us, and asthey went, a sun-browned rustic and his sweetheart, we silentlyfollowed. 

The orang was of a retiring disposition, and very little of him wasvisible from our point of vantage. As I shifted my position in orderto give the ladies a better place, a familiar voice close beside mecried with evident pleasure:

'Wal! Lord a-massy, if it ain't you! Come to see the big monkey, likeall the rest of us? Ain't much of a sight yit. '

It was Mrs. Camp, and she seemed quite alone. She put out her handwith perfect faith in my pleasure at the meeting; and when I took itand spoke her name, I felt a soft touch at my elbow. I had told theladies of my acquaintance with Mrs. Camp, and they had fully enjoyedthe woman's sharp sallies at my expense. I quite understood themeaning of Miss Jenrys' hint, but while I hesitated, Mrs. Camp beganagain:

'I've left Camp to home this time. I've tramped and traipsed with himup and down this here Midway, but I've never once got him inside noneof these places sense he took me to that blue place over there thatthey call the Pershun Palis; no more a palis than our new smoke-house. But Adam seen so much foreign dancin'----' As she talked she ran hereyes from one of our group to another, and as she uttered the words'foreign dancin', ' her eyes fell full upon Miss Ross, who at oncesaid, turning to me:

'Perhaps thee would better introduce thy friend. '

It was done, and in a moment Mrs. Camp was standing close beside MissJenrys, making note of her beauty, and taking in the points of hertoilet with appreciative eyes, while her tongue wagged on vigorously. She had taken up her story of her husband's 'quittin' of Midway. '

'He hadn't never no notion of dancin', ' she declared, 'and never tooka step in his life--not to music, that is. But he wanted to learn allhe could about furrin ways, he said, so in we went. Well, you ort to'a' seen them girls. Mebbe ye have, though?'

'No, ' murmured June. 

'Well, then, you don't want to. Dancin'! I've got an old hen, a'mostten years old--I've been a-keepin' her to see how long a hen wouldlive--an' if that hen can't take more honest dancin' steps than thehull posse of them hourys, as they call 'em. All the dancin' they knowthey'd 'a' learnt from snakes and eels, an' sich like wrigglin'things. Pshaw! I don't b'lieve that ole monkey's goin' to show hisselfto-day, humbly thing!'

When we turned away from the Java Village Mrs. Camp was one of ourparty, and when we entered Hagenbeck's animal show she was stilltelling Miss Ross and I how she and 'Adam' had not agreed upon a routethat day, and how she had revolted utterly when he proposed to spendthe afternoon 'down to the odds and ends corner of the Fair, among theskeletins and old bones, and rooins, and mummies, ' and how 'fer once'they had each 'took their own way. '

It was Miss Ross who had kindly asked the 'lone woman, ' as shedescribed herself, to join our party; and she bore with sweet patienceand an indulgent half-smile her many remarks, absurd or _outré_, shrewd or unsophisticated. 

'I'm sick of that feller!' she exclaimed, as the 'Hot-hot-hot!' of theTurkish vendor of warm cakes was heard. 'The very idea of ayallow-faced feller like that takin' to cookin' hot waffles for alivin'! Right in the street, too! I sh'd think he could get enoughcloth out o' them baggy trousers to make him a little tent. 'F I wasthe boss here I'd make him do his cookin' quieter; he jest spiles thestreet. '

In the German Village our party rested, and the ladies enjoyed itsquaint and picturesque cottages and castle, and listened with pleasureto the German band--all but Mrs. Camp. 

'I don't see nothin' very strikin' here, ' she candidly observed, 'andI don't see the need of puttin' up so many queer-lookin' barns. Thehouse is well enough, but I'll bet them winders come out o' Noah'sark; an' I can't make so much beer-drinkin' look jest right--forwimmin. '

As we passed out she was so rash as to pause a moment to look downinto a huge vessel, full to the brim of the queer-looking compoundwhich the vendor described in a loud voice as 'bum-bum candy. '

'Lad-ee! Lad-ee!' he cried, as she turned away. 'Fine bum-bum, splendid!' But the look she cast over her shoulder silenced hiseloquence. 

'That feller, ' she declared, 'has been settin' around here in oneplace or another ever sence I've been here with his bum-bum candy. I've never got closte enough to git a look at the stuff till to-day;an' I've never saw a soul buyin' it nor eatin' it. '

It had been agreed that we should take a trip in the Ferris Wheel. With the ladies it would be a novel experience, but when we were aboutto enter the car Mrs. Camp drew back. 

'Tain't no use, ' she said. 'I ain't goin' to risk my neck that way. It's jest a-flyin' in the face of Providence! I couldn't git Adam to'smuch as look at the thing when 'twas goin' round. No, sir, I ain'ta-going'!' this to the man at the still open door. But when we hadtaken our places and the door was about to close, she sprang forward. 'Hold on!' she said. 'I guess I've as good a right to tempt Providenceas anybody! Don't shet that door! I want to git in. ' As she sat downbeside me she said, with the air of one who has done a good deed, 'Ihadn't orter 'a' let you git a ticket for me, but I didn't feel sosqueamy till I got right here. Seems safe enough though, don't it?'

Miss Ross assured her of its safety, and I told her how thoroughly ithad been tested, but suddenly she broke in upon my speech:

'S-h! Why, we're a-goin'! My, how easy!' She seemed for a moment tohold her breath, and then I saw her hands clutch at the revolvingseat. 'Land sakes, it's tippin'! Mercy on me, I can't stand this!Say!' to the man in charge, who was just about to begin his 'story ofthe wheel, ' 'I want to get out! I can't never go no higher. Jest turnback; please dew. '

To my surprise, he arose and moved toward the door; then with his handupon it, he turned. 

'It might make you a little dizzy when we reverse the engine, ma'am. Just close your eyes tight until we stop, and you'll feel all right, and not so likely to faint when you begin to walk. '

With a sigh of relief and a shudder of terror, she put hercotton-gloved hands over her eyes, and sat crouched over in a verywilted attitude; and I was on the point of speaking rather sharply tothe man, when a look in his eye and a rapid gesture somehow restoredmy confidence in his ability to manage the car, and we went onsmoothly and silently up. 

We had reached the topmost curve before Mrs. Camp moved a finger, andthen Miss Jenrys, gazing out over the wonderful landscape outspread sofar below, uttered a quick exclamation of delight. Then the handsfell, she started up and looked quickly around, and for a moment stoodwith mouth agape and hands thrown out as if for support or balance. Suddenly she drew a long, relieved breath and dropped back into herseat. Mrs. Camp was herself again. 

'My!' she aspirated; and after another long look all about her, 'Youngman, I declare if I ain't obleged to ye jest as much as if you'd 'a'minded me. ' She ventured near the window, and even put her head out. 'My! they look jest like flies a-walkin'! My! we can't look much tothe angels lookin' down. They go awful jerky. ' She said no more untilwe were almost at the bottom, then she turned to Miss Ross: 'I've agood mind to go round ag'in, ' she declared, and when she was told thatwe were all 'going round ag'in, ' she drew close to the window and madeher second circuit in breathless silence. 

As we left the wheel and came out from the gate, where a crowd waspushing and pressing for entrance, Miss Jenrys, feeling herselfsuddenly jostled by some impatient one, uttered a quick exclamation, and at the sound someone just before me, and whom I had not chanced toobserve in the crowd, turned quickly, shot a hasty glance at MissJenrys, and as suddenly turned back again. 

The face was that of a youth, dark-skinned, and with keen black eyes;the hair, cropped close to the head, was as black as the thick, longlashes; the form was slender, and the head scarcely came up to myshoulders; a slight figure, a youthful face, it caught and riveted myattention. After the first glance in our direction, the young manseemed only anxious to extricate himself from the crowd, which he soondid. 

We were on our way to Cairo Street, and when we entered at the nearestgateway I saw this same youth just ahead. Lossing and Miss Jenrys wentbefore, and as they turned into the street proper, and moved slowlytoward the east court where the donkey-boys were gathered, the youth, who had paused as if in indecision, glanced up and down the streetand then hurried away toward the Temple of Luxor at the western end ofthe inclosure. 

There was much of interest in the street, but the ladies soon tired ofwatching the donkey-boys and smiling at the awkward feats of the camelriders, and turned their attention toward the shops and thearchitecture; turning finally from mosque and theatre to the moreprivate apartments--they were hardly houses--with their small, highbalconies, their latticed windows, their dark doorways, their sillsalmost level with the street. 

It was Miss Ross who expressed a desire to have a nearer view of oneof these dark and cool-looking interiors, and as we turned our faceswestward I saw across the way, on the inner side of the street, anopen doorway, giving just a glimpse of some dark hangings, a brasslantern swinging from the roof, and a couple of men in flowing robesand turbans, lounging upon a divan within. 

Beckoning to the others, I crossed the street, spoke to the men, and, finding that one could understand a little English, asked permissionto enter with the ladies. 

It was granted, after a moment's hesitation and a quick glance at hiscompanion, who did not rise from the divan, and who answered the lookwith a grunt which, doubtless, meant consent. 

There were no seats in the place, save the rug-covered divan, whichfilled one side from corner to corner. The floor was covered withrugs, and the walls were hung with the same, except where, a little atone side in the rear wall, was a narrow door, painted almost black, and having a ponderous and strange-looking latch. 

The wall draperies, to me, looked simply a well-blended pattern indull blue and other soft tints; just such as one might see in theshops anywhere. But the ladies were of a different opinion, and theyat once began a close and exclamatory inspection of each, extollingtheir colour, their texture, their quaint designs, their rarity andcostliness. 

They had viewed the rugs upon the rear walls, Lossing seeming not farbehind them in the matter of admiration, and had passed to the sidewall opposite the divan, and quite out of sight from the street, therebeing no windows on that side, in fact on no side of the rug-hungroom, which was lighted solely by the door, that, standing wide open, served as a further screen for those behind it. 

Mrs. Camp, having faithfully tried to admire the rugs for courtesy'ssake, had failed utterly; and to the evident surprise of the silentEgyptian, who still sat in his place, had coolly seated herself uponthe end of the divan nearest the street, our host, meantime, standingnear the middle of the room, alert, and evidently somewhat curious. 

After a brief glance at the second row of rugs, I had crossed thesmall room and seated myself near Mrs. Camp, and a moment later a bigdetermined-looking woman--American or English, if one might judge fromher face and dress, the latter being full mourning and in the heightof fashion--entered. 

She neither spoke nor looked about her, but went, with the tread of atragedy queen, toward that narrow dark door in the rear wall. In aninstant, before the startled Cairene could prevent her, she had herhand upon the door, and had jerked it half open; but before she couldenter, the tall Oriental had reached her side, and somehow instantlythe door was closed, and the woman staring at it and him as he stoodbefore it. 

He bent toward her, and uttered some word, respectful it seemed, butdecisive, and she, with a baffled and angry look, turned slowly andwent out. 

But she took my benediction with her. As I sat near Mrs. Camp, I wasin a direct angle with that little door which opened against the innerwall, and in the moment while that door stood open I saw, not, as Ithought might be the case, the outer world with the usual _débris_ ofa 'back door, ' but an inner room, and in that room, his face toward meas he reclined, his head lifted, startled perhaps from an afternoonnap, I saw a man--a man whom I knew. 

I could hardly sit there and wait for my friends to sufficientlyadmire the remaining rugs; I wanted to get out, and if possible to seeCairo Street from the rear. For I now remembered that on each side ofMidway, between the houses and villages and the inclosing palings, wasa driveway twenty feet in width, for the convenience of theinhabitants, who received their marketing at night, and from this rearavenue. 

But my star was in the ascendant. At the moment when I could hardlyrepress my anxiety and impatience, a man entered; slowly at first, then starting slightly, he threw one hasty glance around him, andstrode quickly toward the narrow door, which the Cairene opened forand closed after him. 

'My land!' It was Mrs. Camp who had uttered the ejaculation, under herbreath, with her eye upon the man by the door. 'Say, ' she went on, meeting my eye, 'do you know who that was?'

'Do you?' I counter-questioned. 

'Well! mebbe I'm mistook, but he looks the very moral of the furrinfeller 'at changed that money for Camp and gave him counterfeits!' Shehalf rose. 'I'm goin' to ask, ' she explained. 

'Stop!' I caught her hand. 'You must not! Leave it to me; I'll findout. '

I was too full of my own thoughts to enjoy Cairo after that, and wasglad when we set out to visit the Temple of Luxor. I wanted to getaway and to see Dave Brainerd. 

It was half an hour after our experience in the place of rugs, and wewere nearing the Temple, when we were forced to a stand by theapproach of the wedding procession, with its camels and brazen gongs, its dancers, fighters, musicians, etc. As we stood, pressed closeagainst a wall, someone came swiftly across the narrow way, dodgingbetween two camels, and greeted us with effusion. 

It was Monsieur Voisin, and when the parade had passed and we movedon, he placed himself beside Miss Ross, who at once presented him toMrs. Camp. 

In accordance with her notion of strict etiquette, that good woman putout her hand to him in greeting; and when the formality was over, theway being narrow and the crowd dense, I fell behind with her at myside, Miss Ross having been taken possession of by the cool Frenchman. 

For some paces Mrs. Camp, contrary to her custom, was quite silent. Then as we approached the Temple, the others having already entered, she stopped and caught me by the arm. 

'Say, ' said she, in a tone of mystery, 'I must 'a' been mistakenbefore about that feller in that house bein' the counterfeit-moneyman. '

'Why?' I demanded. 

'Because, d'ye remember my tellin' you 'bout that feller havin' sechlong slim hands?' I nodded. 'Well, this feller ahead there with MissRoss--he's the one. I'd swear to them hands anywhere. ' I stopped justlong enough to speak a few words of caution, and we followed theothers. 

Late that night I said to Dave Brainerd: 'Dave, I have seen thebrunette, Greenback Bob, and Delbras. '

CHAPTER XXVIII. 

'NOW DOWN!'

Miss Jenrys went faithfully to the post-office in the GovernmentBuilding the day after our visit to Midway, and the next, and thenext. On the fourth day she was rewarded, and when I appeared at herdoor, as I did every day now, by appointment, and at a fixed hour, sheput a square envelope into my hand. It was addressed to 'J. J. , World's Fair P. O. , ' and the seal was unbroken. 

I looked at the initials in surprise. 'Is it possible, ' I asked, 'thatyou two have not exchanged names? Has it always been J. J. And H. A. ?'

'Quite so, ' she laughed. 'It was her proposal. It would keep up theromance of the acquaintance, she said, ' and as I held out the envelopetoward her, 'No, that is your letter; I have no interest in it, andlittle curiosity concerning it. '

'Then, ' said I, as I broke the seal, 'I shall read it to you becauseof that little. '

But when I had unfolded the sheet, I sat so long staring at it thatshe asked lightly: 'Does it contain a scent, after all?' I put theletter in her hand. 'Read for yourself, ' I said, trying to speakcarelessly; and she read aloud:

 '"MY KIND FRIEND, '"I much regret that, because of my mamma's illness, I cannot leave her for the present. But at the first moment of leisure I shall let you know that I am at your service. How much I regret the loss of your charming company, and long for a sight of your charming face, is only known to yours, '"H. A. '

'Bah!' She tossed the letter back to me with a little disdainfullaugh. 'It reads like a love-letter, and is anything but filial. ' As Ifolded the letter and put it carefully away, she watched me keenly. 

'Mr. Masters, ' she said, 'you have been in some unaccountable mannerstartled, or shocked, by that letter. '

I could neither deny nor explain, and I frankly admitted it, assuringher that she would not remain long in the dark. 

'Oh, I can wait, ' she smiled. 'Do not fancy me so unreasonable as toexpect the full confidence of a detective. Only, don't fear for my"nerves, " and let me help in any way that I can. I think, ' laughing, 'that I have said this before. '

I was anxious to go now, and, rising, I took her at her word. 'You canhelp me in two ways, ' I said, 'but I must ask you not to demandreasons just yet. '

'Go on, ' she said promptly. 

'First, should this brunette, this "H. A. , " write you again, will youinform me at once, and--I don't think it likely to occur, but if sheshould call here, will you refuse to receive her?'

'Yes to both. But she does not know my address. '

'You forget; she has been seen to pass this house. Don't be too sure. '

'I will be on my guard. Is that all?'

'There is another point--a delicate one. I could not but see thatMonsieur Voisin's company that day in Midway was not entirely welcometo your aunt and yourself; and--bear with me, please, I am speaking inthe interest of another. Promise me that you will not close your doorsagainst Monsieur Voisin, or treat him too coldly, for a little while. Believe me, my reason is one that you will be first to endorse when itis known to you. '

She hesitated, and I hurried on:

'The man is of a fiery disposition, and he recognises a rival in thefield--pardon my intrusion upon delicate ground. He comes from theland of duellists. ' She started. 'A little patience and diplomacy uponyour part, and I think I can promise that he will not annoy you muchlonger. '

'Very well, ' she assented, 'I agree. Auntie, strange to say, has urgedthe same thing--concerning Monsieur Voisin, that is. At the worst wecan go home. It is now the last of June, and we go, in any case, inJuly. Never fear, I shall not forget your admonitions, any of them. 'And she gave me her hand at the door with a reassuring smile. 

Half-way over the threshold I turned back to say: 'By the way, MissJenrys, if I chance to appear here at the same time as MonsieurVoisin, please be kind to me. '

 * * * * *

Late that same night Dave Brainerd and I held one of our long, and, inthe past, ofttimes useless and mistaken, symposiums. But this time wewere in perfect accord. We had spread upon the table before us our oldmemoranda from the very beginning of our campaign, and also some fewletters and other documents. It had been a long 'session, ' accordingto Dave, but the conclusion was so satisfactory that, at the last, wehad each lighted a cigar, and celebrated thus what we considered afully mapped out campaign at last. 

'Well, ' pronounced Dave, with a sigh of content, as he tipped back hischair, and elevated his feet to the top of the table between us. 'Thislooks like business! Let us see! First, ' checking off on his fingers, 'we're to keep away from Midway--all but Billy--so that they may notmake another flitting, eh?'

'Yes, ' I assented. 

'And we're to patrol Stony Island Avenue and the surrounding countryby day and by night, with a full force. Ain't that it?'

'Perfectly. Dave, you are as full of repetitions as an old woman!'

'Or a young one, ' he retorted; 'and you think it is proved that thebrunette's a man, do you?'

'It was proved, for me, long ago. '

'And that letter? I can't see why it should not be launched at once. '

I had written to Mr. Trent, telling him of certain facts and theories, and among them was the suggestion that we should cause a copy of the'Roe' letter, with its proposed barter, to be published in the morningpapers, giving him my reasons at length, and requesting his opinionbefore taking what might prove a very decisive if not aggressive step. Dave was delighted with this idea, and, wearied with our 'masterlyinactivity, ' he would, as he put it, 'launch the thing at once. ' Myreasons, as explained to both Dave and Mr. Trent, were:

The letter signed 'Roe, ' and offering to liberate young Trent, and atthe same time to defraud the comrades of the 'clique, ' if genuine, would, when published, expose the writer, who would then be obliged to'leave the clique, ' as he had expressed it, and with an additional'reason' for so doing; this would at least lessen their numbers, andperhaps force them to take into their confidence some new colleague. Or, possibly, it would result in a quarrel among themselves, whichalso might result in some way in our favour. 

On the other hand, if it were a scheme of the clique, it would seemthat at least they were tired of the game and in need of money; andthe advertised letter, if followed up by another advertisement--inwhich a correspondence might be proposed or some proffer made--mightdraw them out; and in some way this must be done. In the meantime awarrant must be issued, or rather two, one descriptive of the brunetteas a woman, the other as a man; and since the Lausch people had notdone so, we would, if we could, arrest her or him on the charge ofrobbery. 

I had to go over the ground once more to quiet Dave, or to tire himout; and we ended at last, as usual, in mutual agreement. 

Several days must pass, I knew, before Mr. Trent would arrive. I hadwritten him daily, and he had replied by telegraph. He would be withme soon, and would wire me the date of his arrival. In the meanwhile Iwas to 'act upon my best judgment' in the matter of delaying theadvertisement. I decided to wait and watch, and so a few more dayspassed in routine and quiet. 

On one of these quiet days Lossing and I, in a moment of leisure, wentdown to that interesting, and by many neglected, portion of theExposition grounds where are situated the cliff-dwellers; the Kruppgun, giant of its kind; the Department of Ethnology, and the greatStock Pavilion, where the English military tournaments were heldafternoons and evenings. It seemed to be by mutual consent that weturned away from the little point of land where La Rabida satisolated, as a convent should; and, crossing the bridge that spannedthe inlet between the convent and the stately Agricultural Building, we passed through its spacious central promenade and, passing by theObelisk and under the Colonnade, paused at the military encampment. 

There was no performance at that hour, but men and horses were beingled into the monster pavilion, 'for exercise, ' a big trooper explainedto us, 'and a bit of drill for the 'orses. ' At which Lossing slippedhis hand through my arm. 'Come on, ' he said, and, a little to mysurprise, he led me to a side door, and taking a card from his pocket, held it an instant before the eyes of the soldier on guard, saying aword as he passed him, which I did not catch. 

As we entered the great inclosure, a group of officers were standingnear the centre of the arena, in busy converse, and a heavy artilleryteam was being put through its paces, while nearer our place ofobservation several cavalrymen were leading their horses up and down. The officers evidently were discussing and arranging some matter ofimportance. But while I noted this, I also noted that one of them whostood facing toward us lifted his hand in salute, and then moved ittoward us in a less formal gesture, and, again to my surprise, mycompanion lifted his hand and returned the salute in kind. Before hecould look at me I had turned my eyes away and was watching withevident interest the manoeuvres of the cavalrymen. 

They had mounted their animals and were beginning to put them throughtheir paces, and presently they began the drill known as throwingtheir horses. 

Galloping the animals to a certain point, they were brought to a shortand sudden stand, and then by a quick tug upon the bit, the animal, ifwell trained, allowed itself to fall upon one side, the riderinstantly slipping from the saddle to a position half concealed by thebody of the horse from an imaginary enemy in front, and gun in hand, ready to take aim across the saddle. 

There was one man who did not at first go through this evolution withthe others, but set his horse near the rest looking on. When theothers had gone through the exercise, this man rode forward, put hishorse at a gallop, stopped him splendidly, and attempted the fall; butthe animal was obstinate or only half broken, and began to show signsof both fright and fight. 

As his rider turned the excited creature about, and sent him at a madgallop across the arena, one of the troopers came at an easy trotdirectly toward us, and drawing rein beside us, with a lift of hishat, said respectfully:

'Good-morning, sir. I hope you are well, sir. '

'Good-morning, George, ' replied Lossing easily. 'What is the matterwith that horse?'

''E's a new one, sir, and not quite broke; though I do think, sir, ashe 'asn't the best and kindest of riders, sir, and that makes 'imworse. '

'Yes, ' said Lossing absently, with his eyes following the horse, whichwas a really fine animal, one to attract a horse-lover. 

'Hit's too bad, ' went on the trooper. 'Diggs will 'ave to ride 'imthis hafternoon, and it'll bait the cap'n horful; for one of our'orses come a fluke last hevenin'. I be sorry for Diggs!'

'I'm sorry for the horse! George, go and ask the captain to send Diggsand his horse to me. '

No doubt my face showed my surprise as the trooper rode obediently offto do his bidding; but Lossing only smiled and moved a step or twoaway from the rail where we had been standing. 

'Diggs, ' he said, as the man rode up and saluted. 'Will you let me tryyour horse?'

The soldier saluted again, and dismounted without a word; and Lossingtook the bridle from his hand, and for a few moments stood beside thehorse, stroking him, smoothing his mane, and all the time speakingsome low, soothing syllables that seemed to quiet the still quiveringanimal. 

After a little of this he examined the saddle, adjusted the stirrupsand bridle, and then, after leading the horse away from us a shortdistance, he stepped easily and quietly into the saddle. Instantly thecreature's head was erected, and his ears put back, but Lossing, witha caressing hand upon his neck, continued his low, soothing syllables, and let the animal walk the length of the long inclosure. 

Turning then, he sent him back at a gentle trot, which he increasedgradually, until he was careering around the arena in circles, whichbecame shorter and shorter, until he came to a halt in the centre ofthe vast place. Then after a few more gentle words and light pats uponthe sleek neck, he bent over and suddenly drew the rein. Once, twice, three times he gave that sharp pull, but the horse stood steadfast. Turning in his saddle, he said something to the troopers who had drawnnear him, and then sat erect in his place, while three of the troopersturned their horses and went careering around the motionless horse andrider. Soon, at another word from Lossing, one of the men rodealongside, while the others drew back. 

When the trooper had ranged himself at the side of Lossing's horse andonly a few feet away, Lossing nodded; and at the first tug at the reinthe trooper's well-trained animal went down and lay supine andmoveless. 

Then Lossing beckoned a second time, and as the fallen horse got up hewas caressed by Lossing, who leaned from his saddle to reach him, andthen led away, as the second trooper came up leading his horse. 

As the animals stood side by side Lossing dismounted, stood a momentbeside his refractory steed, and then, with a gentle pat and a lowword as if of reproof, he turned and, after patting the other animal amoment, sprang to its back and sent it galloping around the place;then bringing him back to place, and with a pat or two and a quick'Now down!' threw him, sprang to his feet, and before the animal couldrise had again mounted the wayward horse. 

Once more he trotted slowly away, caressing and talking to the horse;and then, suddenly wheeling him, he gave a cheery command and sent thecreature flying back, past his old place, and across the pavilion;then turning and halting the horse before the group of officers, hegave him a brisk pat, and said cheerily, 'Now down!' and, almost withthe word, the creature threw up its head and, with scarcely aninstant's hesitation, went over and lay quivering upon the ground. 

A cheer went up from the onlookers. But without loss of time Lossinghad the horse up, turned him about, and, seeing him quite fit and nottoo nervous, remounted; and now the horse was obedient to his everymove or word. Twice more he threw him, and then, returning him toDiggs, he said:

'Diggs, a horse can be as jealous as a woman, and more easily shamedthan a boy. And if you are skilful, and love your horse, you canmaster him; but beware of the first angry word. Anger makes brutes; itnever made an intelligent animal yet. '

He took my arm, and with a bow and a shake of the head to theofficers, who were moving toward him, and a nod to the troopers, hehurried me out of the pavilion. 

CHAPTER XXIX. 

'FIRE! FIRE! FIRE!'

June had passed and July had come. Mr. Trent had arrived and waseating his heart out while the days dragged by. Miss Jenrys waited andwondered, and wrote to Miss O'Neil letters which she tried to makecheerful, until one day she received a telegram. Mrs. Trent no longerneeded her, and Hilda O'Neil was coming to Chicago. She would set outon July 3. 

Of course I was summoned to meet her when she came, and I learned thensomething about 'ordeal by question. ' She was a pretty, brown-eyed, gipsy-like, and petite maiden, more child than woman in her ways, butwith a warm, loving, and faithful heart, and a wit as bright andready almost as that of June Jenrys, who was, to my mind, thecleverest as well as the queenliest of girls. 

Miss O'Neil's presence was a boon to the sad-hearted father, for shewould not despair; and nature having blessed her with a strong andhopeful temperament, and an abounding faith in a final good, she keptthe father's heart from despairing utterly. 

Miss Jenrys, true to her word, had continued to receive MonsieurVoisin, though she used much diplomacy in the matter, and seldom, ifever, received him alone. 

Lossing and I often met him there, and as the days wore on I notedthat Lossing was growing melancholy, or at least more serious andthoughtful than of old, and I attributed a part of this to Voisin'sever courteous and too frequent presence in Washington Avenue. I wasmuch with him in these days. Every day almost would find us togetherfor a longer or less length of time, according to my occupation orlack of it. 

One day, after a long and learned discussion of the water-crafts ofall countries, we, Lossing and myself, turned our steps toward theTransportation Building to see a certain African brinba, sent all theway from Banguella, Africa, and, to my eyes, a most unseaworthy craft. 

It was shortly after the noon hour, and Lossing and I had beenlunching with June Jenrys and her friend, by invitation, inconsequence of which I was not disguised, while Lossing, by command ofMiss Jenrys, had worn and still wore his guard's uniform. 

As we were passing from the main building into the annex I saw Lossingstart, and, looking up, beheld Monsieur Voisin standing alone in theaisle, and evidently awaiting our approach. 

He was, as usual, smiling and affable, and 'overjoyed to meet withcongenial spirits. ' He fell into step with us at once, and so we wereproceeding in the direction of the mammoth locomotive display, whensuddenly the alarm of fire rang out all about us, and the cry, 'Fire!fire! fire!' seemed sounding everywhere in an instant. 

Following in the wake of a hundred others, we hastened out. 

We were not far from the scene of that awful conflagration, and werushed forward, as men do at such times, carried out of themselvesoften and reckless of danger. 

Who can paint the story of that awful fire? What need to tell it? Ithas passed out of history, and its victims to their rest andrecompense. 

The mourning caused by that hateful death-trap, the Cold StorageBuilding, is known to all the world; the recklessness, the heroism, the strict obedience to orders in the face of death, the horror, thesuffering, the loss of gallant lives, all these are known; and yetthere remains much that has never been told and never will be: talesof reckless daring, of risks taken for humanity's sake, of kindly, humane deeds unchronicled, and of cowardice, selfishness, dishonourable acts that were better left unwritten. 

Among those who stood ready to aid, and who showed in that dreadfultime neither fear nor undue excitement, was Lossing. Where help wasneeded his hands were ready, and it was not long, so ill-fitted wasthe tindery edifice to resist the flames, before the worst hadhappened, the tower had fallen, and the dead and dying, rather thanthe burning structure, became the chief, almost the sole care of theearnest workers, firemen and others. 

With the falling of the tower one end of the building, from top tobase, became enveloped in flames and smoke, and flying timbers bornethat way by the wind made the place especially dangerous. As theblackened fragments fell, small wonder that, seen through the smokeand fire, they were sometimes mistaken for human beings by those whohad seen brave men making that fearful leap. 

It was impossible to keep together in such a place, and we did notattempt it; but as I now and then cast an anxious glance towardLossing, I noted that Voisin seemed to be all the time near him. 

It was some moments after the falling of the tower, and while it wasstill believed that there were yet men upon the burning roof, that Imoved toward the end of the building, where the smoke was hanging likea curtain over everything below, while lifting somewhat above, tolook, if possible, toward that part of the roof which might be yetintact. Lossing and Voisin seemed to be eagerly watching somethingperilously near the choking smoke and falling timbers, I thought, andI shouted a warning to them just as a group of firemen crossed mypath. 

Almost at the instant a voice--it sounded like Voisin's--cried:

'Look! there's a man!'

In the hubbub of sounds the cry was not heard beyond me. I could nothave heard it a few feet farther away; but as it struck my ears I sawLossing look up, and, following his gaze with my own, I saw somethingblack and bulky, something that looked like an arm thrust out, as itfell down and outward and into the thick smoke that obscured that endof the building altogether. 

Was it a man falling there in the thick of that suffocating smoke? Isaw Lossing spring forward and dash into the midst of it, with Voisinclose behind, and then with a shudder I rushed after them, seeingnothing, but entering where they had entered the smoke-cloud, and thenfor an instant I paused and held my breath. 

The thing that had fallen lay in the thickest of the smoke, and overit Lossing was just about to bend when I halted, seeing a suddenmovement on Voisin's part which made me clench my hands. 

For the moment, save for my unseen self, they were alone, shut in bythe shifting but never rising smoke, and in that moment, as Lossingbent over to peer at the thing on the ground at his feet, the man justbehind him drew from his pocket something which I guessed at ratherthan recognised, something which caused me to spring forward with myfist clenched. 

It was the work of a moment to strike down the man who, in an instant, with a criminal's basest weapon, would have stunned Lossing and lefthim there in the choking smoke to be suffocated. 

As Voisin went down I had just enough strength and breath to catchhold of Lossing and drag him out; and, in a moment, calling someothers to my aid, we went in after Voisin. 

As we lifted him the 'knuckles' dropped from his relaxed hand, and, unnoticed in the smoke, I picked them up and hastily concealed them. He was quite insensible, and a little stream of blood was tricklingfrom one side of his face, where he had struck upon some hardsubstance in falling. 

As he lay upon the ground a sudden thought caused me to start; and Ibent down quickly, put my finger solicitously upon his wrist, and thenpushing back the dark hair, which always lay in a curving mass overhis brow, a little to one side, I laid bare a rather high forehead, upon which, clearly defined, was an oblong scar quite close to theroots of the concealing lovelock. Calling Lossing's attention to this, I replaced the lock, smoothed it into place and arose. 

'Come away, ' I said to Lossing, and leaving Voisin in the hands ofthose about him for a moment, we withdrew to a place where we mightsee and be unseen. I told Lossing of the attempt upon his life, and hewas not greatly surprised. 

'I ought to have been on my guard, ' he said, 'for I think he caused methat lagoon dip. But I was carried out of myself by this cursedholocaust. What shall we do?'

'Keep out of his sight, and let them take him to the hospital. He'snot seriously hurt. Possibly he's shamming, now; though he wasstunned, as well as half-suffocated. '

It was as I surmised. Voisin opened his eyes after some time, and madean effort to rise, but he seemed weak and dazed, and they withdrew himfrom the place where he lay and made him comfortable in a shelteredspot, to await the return of an ambulance, going back for a fewmoments to note the progress of the fire. 

They were not long absent, but when they went back to their charge hewas not there, and a bystander had seen him rise, look about him, andmove away, at first slowly and then quite briskly, in the direction ofthe Sixty-fourth Street entrance. 

I had persuaded Lossing to remain out of sight, and had myself viewedVoisin's departure from afar, and when I reported the fact Lossingexclaimed, 'Masters, this must end! That man must not be permitted tovisit Miss Jenrys after this!'

'Rest easy, ' I answered him. 'The villain will at once take measuresto learn the truth about you, and when he knows that you are not lyingsomewhere on a cold slab awaiting recognition, he will know that hismatrimonial game is up, ' I took a sidewise glance at Lossing as Ispoke the next words, 'and that one fortune at least has slippedthrough his fingers. '

His eyes, sombre and proud, at once turned slowly toward me as Ispoke. 

'Masters, ' he said, 'I wish to heaven June Jenrys were as poor--aspoor as I am!'

To this I had no answer ready, and we walked on for a short time insilence. Then suddenly he stopped short. 

'Masters, ' he asked, 'what was it that fell when I went into thesmoke, like an idiot?'

'A piece of timber with a burning rag fluttering from it. A coatthrown off by one of those poor fellows. Just the bait Voisin wanted, 'I replied. 

CHAPTER XXX. 

'IT SHALL NOT BE ALL SUSPENSE. '

Since the coming of Mr. Trent, who had secured rooms next door to thehouse occupied by Miss Ross and her niece, it had become my habit topass an hour, more or less, in Miss Jenrys' parlours each day in theafternoon or evening, as was most convenient, and often, besides Mr. Trent, and of late Miss O'Neil, Lossing made one of the party; for hehad come to know as much, almost, as any one of us concerning GeraldTrent's strange absence. 

On leaving the scene of the fire it was important that I should have afew words with Dave Brainerd, and this done I was as ready to set outfor Miss Jenrys' cosy apartment as was Lossing; for I felt with himthat Monsieur Voisin must no longer be permitted to annoy the ladies, even for the good of the cause in which I was so deeply interested. 

Imagine my surprise, then, when I learned privately, and from the lipsof Miss Ross, that Monsieur Voisin had been there in advance of us andhad gone. 

Seated in the little rear parlour, with the _portières_ drawn, theclear-headed little Quakeress told me the story of his visit. 

I had observed upon entering that June Jenrys was not quite her usualtranquil, self-possessed self; that her cheeks wore an unwonted flush, and that her eyes were very bright and restless, while there seemedjust a shade of nervousness and a certain repressed energy in hermanner. 

Miss Ross had led me, with little ceremony, into the rear room, andshe lost no time, once we were seated. 

'I don't know what thee may have on thy mind this evening, ' she began, 'but whatever it is, I will not detain thee long. Monsieur Voisin hasbeen here. He left, indeed, less than an hour ago. I have had a talkwith June since, and she has allowed me to tell you of his call. Theman came here between four and five o'clock. '

In spite of myself I started. He had left the grounds with a bleedingface, little more than an hour earlier. 

'He was pale, and at one side of his face was a small wound, neatlydressed, and covered with a small strip of surgeon's plaster. He waslabouring, evidently, under some strong mental strain, and I was notmuch surprised when he asked June for a private interview, and in sucha supplicating manner that she could hardly refuse. Of course heproposed to her; and in a fashion that surprised her; his pleading wasso desperate, his manner so almost fierce. He begged her to take time;he implored her to reconsider; and he went away at last like a manutterly desperate. At the last he forgot himself and charged her withcaring for an adventurer; a penniless fortune-hunter who might forsakeher at any moment; and then he recounted word for word the things saidin that conservatory episode; the things that were imparted to Mr. Lossing. '

'The scoundrel!'

'Even so. This was too much for June's temper. She ordered him out ofher presence, and in going he uttered some strange words, the purportof them being that before leaving this place she might find that Mr. Lossing had vanished out of her life and gone back to a more congenialcareer, and that she might be glad to turn to him to beg such favoursas no other man could grant, and he ended by saying that had she puthim in the place of friend and confidant rather than you, he mighthave made straight the crooked places that were troubling the peace ofherself and some of her friends. '

I was fairly aglow with excitement when she paused, and I told her atonce my story of the day's happenings. 

'Tell Miss Jenrys, ' I said, 'that I can, at the right time, explainall the riddles he has astonished her with, and ask her to be patientyet a little longer. '

And then I went back to the others, to tell Mr. Trent and Hilda O'Neilthat I had now traced the kidnappers of young Trent so closely that Ihad only to sift one block of a certain street to find the gang and, Ibelieved, their victim; and, in spite of wonder and question, I wouldtell them no more. 

One of the next morning's papers contained this interesting item, followed up by a copy of the letter sent by Mr. 'E. Roe, On theSquare, ' to Mr. Trent:

 'THE TRENT MYSTERY. 

 'There is hope that the mystery of the disappearance of young Gerald Trent of Boston may soon be cleared up. And there is reason for thinking that the enemy is weakening. Not long since a letter, signed by the familiar name of "Roe, " was received by Mr. Trent and promptly handed over to the officers. This letter we print herewith. Mr. Trent is now in this city, and there have been singular discoveries of late. It is quite probable that Mr. Trent even now will compromise the matter provided his son is returned to him safe and unharmed. For, strange as it may seem, to expose and punish the miscreants, it would be necessary to bring into prominence two ladies of fortune and high social standing, who innocently and unwittingly have been made to play a part in this strange affair. For their sakes, doubtless, a quiet compromise and transfer will end this most singular affair. The "Roe" letter reads as follows. '

 * * * * *

Here, of course, came the letter which Miss O'Neil had copied atlength for her friend, and which, in the original, had been sent byMr. Trent to me. 

When this notice had been read by the ladies and by Mr. Trent, I wasbesieged for an explanation of what seemed to them 'an unwarrantedwithdrawal from the battle'; but my purpose once explained, they werereadily appeased and their faith in me restored. 

It was true that I had tracked the 'clique' to very close quarters, but it was one thing to know that in one house, out of half a dozen, were lodged all, or a part, of the gang, and it was another thing tomove upon them in such a way as to secure them all, and at the sametime rescue and save young Trent, if he were really in that unknownhouse, and really alive. It was this problem that was taxing all myingenuity, and which, as yet, I had not quite solved. 

I had called alone on this afternoon, Lossing being on guard, and whenthe newspaper sensation had been explained and I was about to go, MissRoss, with whom I had grown quite confidential, walked with me to theouter door. 

'Friend Masters, ' she said gently, 'I wish thee could tell mesomething about young Mr. Lossing. The words flung out by MonsieurVoisin were malicious words, and meant to do harm. But are they notpartly true? June is a proud girl, but I am sure she feels thisreserve of his, and he is reserved. I love the lad; he seems the soulof truth. But there is a strangeness, a part that is untold. Myfriend, you whom we call upon for everything, can you not makestraight this crooked place, too?'

She put out her hand and smiled upon me, but her gentle voice was fullof appeal; and I took the hand and held it between my own while Ianswered:

'I believe I can do it, Miss Ross; and I surely will try, and that atonce. It shall not be all suspense. '

CHAPTER XXXI. 

SIR CARROLL RAE. 

I was tired with thinking and planning and loss of sleep, and thatnight I led Lossing away, an easy captive, to the gondola station bythe Art Gallery. He had been in low spirits all day, and had notpresented himself at Washington Avenue since I had told him ofVoisin's visit there, which I did, word for word, just as Miss Rosshad related it to me, and with a purpose. 

He was a reserved fellow, and I quite agreed with Miss Ross it wastime for him to throw off his reserve; so, after I had assured myselfthat our gondoliers had made no choice collection of 'pidgin English, 'I began to talk, first of Voisin and then of June Jenrys. Suddenly Iturned toward him. 

'Lossing, pardon the question, but have you ever known Voisin previousto your meeting in New York?'

'I?' abstractedly. 'W--why, Masters?'

'Well, it might easily have been, you know. A man meets so many whenhe travels much. '

'Oh!' with a short laugh; 'and I, you fancy, have travelled much?'

'Why, Lossing, the fact in your case is evident--in your manner, speech, everything. ' And I went back to Voisin, and his audacity inaddressing Miss Jenrys, finishing by calling him a 'fortune-huntingadventurer. '

Lossing pulled off his cap, and perching it upon his knee, turned hisfair head to look up and down the water-way, and then faced mesquarely. 

'Masters, that's precisely what the fellow called me. '

'Nonsense!' I said sharply. 

'And isn't it true?'

'Not in my eyes. '

He was silent for a time, then:

'Masters, ' he began, 'I've been on the point of opening my heart toyou more than once. I am discouraged. I have wooed, yes, and won, JuneJenrys with hardly a thought of how I could care for her or formyself. Gad! How thoughtless and selfish I have been! And yet you willthink me an ass when I say that, up to this moment, I have nevertroubled myself nor been troubled about money matters. So help meheaven, Masters, I never once thought of her fortune, or my lack ofit, in all my wooing of June Jenrys!'

'I don't doubt it, ' I said easily, 'not in the least. It's not innature that you should be, at your age, half man and half financialmachine. It's contrary to your education. ' And, smiling inwardly, Ibegan deliberately to fold a cigarette paper. 

'My education!' He turned upon me sharply. 'What--I beg your pardon, Masters, but what the deuce do you know about my education?'

'I'm a very observing person, ' I replied amiably; 'haven't you noticedit?'

He was silent so long that, when I had finished making my cigaretteand lighted it, I asked, after a puff or two: 'Lossing, is thereanything I can say or do that will help you? I see that you aretroubled. If it's money only, bless me, your talents will stand you inmoney's stead. Brains have a money value in this country, you know. '

It was more than I at first meant to say. I was treading on delicateground, and I knew it. 

'Brains! Well, there it is! There's where my "education, " as you say, stands in the way. It's no use, Masters, our points of view are notthe same. To understand mine you must know what my past has been. Thatwould convince you how little my brain could be relied upon to standme in lieu of a fortune in this pushing, rushing, electric America ofyours. And my story--well, if I am to tell it, I must tell it to herfirst, and--good heavens!' he groaned, 'when I have told it, I shallseem to her more like a fortune-hunter than even now. '

He was in the depths, and if I meant to speak first, now was my time. I tossed my cigarette into the water, and sat erect and facing him. 

'What would you give, ' I asked slowly, 'if I could show you a wayout--a safe and right and happy way?'

'Give! Man alive! I'd give you my gratitude all my life long, first, and after that anything you could ask and I could grant. But--pshaw!--I know you're immensely clever, Masters, and I knowyou're my friend, but----'

'There, don't say anything that you will have to retract; and now, Iwon't presume to advise you, sir, ' very respectfully, 'but if I werein your place I would either go to June Jenrys and tell her my wholestory, or else let me tell it to her. '

'Let you!'

'And in going, to pave the way, if I were you, I would send in mycard, and that card should read, "Sir Carroll Rae. "'

The murder was out now, and before he could recover from his surpriseI launched into my story, telling of my chief's letter, and of the onefrom Sir Hugo Rae which accompanied it, also of the vivid descriptionwhich set me to staring at all good-looking blonds. 

'My meeting with you in Midway, when you inquired after Miss Jenrys soanxiously, was my first clue, ' I said. 'On that occasion I noted thatyou answered the description very well, also that you were not anAmerican. ' He looked at me surprised. 'Oh, your English is perfect;but it's neither Yankee nor yet Mason and Dixon's English. It's veryfine and polished, but it's different. Oh, I never mistook you for anAmerican, Sir Carroll Rae; but I might not have given heed to thatfirst clue, had I not read Miss Jenrys' letter to Hilda O'Neil; then Isaid, "Suppose the good-looking guard is this Mr. Lossing, and thatLossing is Rae?" And then I began to cultivate you. '

'Ah! I begin to understand. '

'Then, ' I went on, 'came other tests. Rae was an athlete; Lossingknocked out a lunch-room beat scientifically, Rae possessed a high andrich tenor voice; so, I found, did Lossing. '

'When?' he interposed. 

'On the night you--ahem--fell into the lagoon. I heard you near theband-stand singing in the chorus. '

'I see!'

'Then Rae was a fine rider. Lossing can ride also, even a Britishcavalry nag. In fine, I studied you from first to last, supposing youto be Rae, a member of the English aristocracy. '

'Oh, I say!'

'There you go! An American never would say that. Every word of yours, every act pointed to the same conclusion. You were all that a youngEnglishman of good family and fortune should be; and so, SirCarroll----'

'Stop! It gives me actual pleasure to find one flaw in your wonderfulsumming-up. I am not Sir Carroll. Sir Hugo, my half-brother, bears thetitle, and Sir Hugo and I saw little of each other and were neverwarm friends. '

'One moment, Sir Carroll. Since that first letter from England, mychief has received another. Sir Hugo is dead. '

 * * * * *

When he had recovered somewhat from the surprise and shock--for ashock it was, in truth--he told how, being left to the guardianship ofhis elder brother--Sir Hugo was fifteen years the elder--he had yetseen little of him, Sir Hugo being seldom at home for long. 

'Sir Hugo's mother, the first Lady Rae, died when he was a lad, andthere were no other children by that marriage, ' he said. 'My motherinherited consumption, and three sisters, all my elders, died inchildhood. My mother died when I was a babe, and I was given to thecare of Lady Lossing, my mother's elder and favourite sister. I grewto manhood in her house at Dulnith Hall, or in London. When Sir Hugotook possession at last he developed a tyrannical temper. He did notchoose to marry, and so I must do so. He selected a wife for me, anheiress, of course, and not too young nor pretty, though an Englishgentlewoman, and a fit wife for a king, if he loved her, which I didnot. 

'Well, we quarrelled bitterly. I threatened to come to America, and hebade me go and never to return while he lived. Now, my father had leftme nothing, only commending me to Sir Hugo's generosity, which, solong as I consulted his wishes, was free enough. Of my own I had a fewhundred pounds left me by my mother. I took that and came to thiscountry. I was introduced into society by a fellow-countryman, whothought my change of name a mere lark, and who soon went home, andthen straightway I fell in love with June Jenrys. '

'Well, ' I said, after signalling one of the gondoliers to row us toshore, 'I have showed you the way out; have I earned my reward, SirCarroll Rae?'

With a swift movement he caught my hand between both his own. 

'Best of friends, ' he exclaimed, 'you can never ask of me a favourthat I will not grant, if given the ability to do so; and now----'

'And now, ' I echoed as our boat came to the landing, 'there is yettime for you to make that delayed call upon the ladies. '

CHAPTER XXXII. 

FOUND DEAD. 

On the morning of the second day after the publication of the lettersigned E. Roe, I awoke at an early hour, after a night passed, for themost part, in thinking and planning. 

As the small hours began once more to grow long, and I had reached atlast some definite conclusions, I had fallen asleep, but not for long. Sunrise found me awake and astir. 

Dave had been out all night, and I was eager for his return. I wantedhis co-operation and his encouragement. I wanted to tell him my plansand to hear the result of his night's reconnaissance in the vicinityof the suspected houses. 

But whatever his success or lack of it, my morning's programme waslaid out. I should 'let no grass grow beneath my feet' until I hadtaken out warrants of arrest for the 'gang. '

Of charges against them there were enough and to spare; but to makemy final success more sure, it would be best, I knew, not to alarmthem to the extent of letting them see that their deepest andwickedest game was known. For this purpose it would be well, I knew, to take them first upon separate charges. 

Greenback Bob, I decided, should be arrested upon the charge ofcounterfeiting, with no specified dates or names. Delbras we wouldcharge with an attempt to pass counterfeit money, or with the attemptto swindle Farmer Camp. Smug should figure as a confidence man. Andthe brunette, whether appearing as man or woman, should be accused ofmasquerading. And to complete the list, I would also procure a warrantwhich should charge Monsieur Voisin with an assault upon Sir CarrollRae. 

Smiling at the thought of the surprise this last name would occasion, I closed my door and was turning the key in the lock when Brainerdcame hastily up the stairs and toward me. 

'Masters, ' he said hurriedly, 'you're wanted at once. Come along!' Andturning, he ran back down the stairs, and awaited me at the foot. 

'What's up?' I asked, when I had reached his side. 

'Dead man, ' was his laconic answer as he caught my arm and hurried mealong. 'Found this morning. I want you to take a look at him. '

'Why must I look at him?' I persisted. 

'See if you know him, of course!' and to prevent any furtherinquisitiveness on my part he began to tell me how the body had beenfound at early dawn by two 'honest and early-rising Columbian Guards, 'lying in the mouth of an alley upon Stony Island Avenue. 

'Shot?' I ventured. 

'Not much! Strangled!' He glanced over his shoulder and lowered hisvoice. 'And the queer thing is, Murphy and I were through that samealley, from end to end, after midnight. He was not there then. Therewere four of us within a block of that place all night. Neither he norhis assailants could have passed by on the street. '

'Ergo?' I queried. 

'Ergo, being out all night, and so near, Murphy and I were the firstpersons the guards met after finding the body. So, while one of themran to the station we went to the alley, where the other stood onguard. The body lay upon ground where ashes had been thrown, andthickly too. We could see his footprints plainly. Small they were, andothers--two others--one long and slim, the other shorter and broader. They're covered at this moment with dry-goods boxes, open end down, with a big policeman sitting upon them. They couldn't take a cast inthose soft ashes. '

'Has the body been identified?'

'There was nothing upon the body by which to identify, but it had notbeen robbed. There was money and valuables in a pocket, and--a belt. '

I saw that, for some reason, Dave did not want to give me furtherinformation, even if he possessed it. And knowing him too well topress my questions, I remained silent until we had reached ourdestination. 

When we were in the presence of the dead, and the covering was aboutto be lifted from the face, a sudden shock and thrill came over me, and I hesitated for just an instant, feeling a sudden dread andreluctance at the thought of what I might see, yet neither knowing norguessing. 

Then slowly the officer drew away the covering, and I moved a stepnearer. 

'Good heavens!' There was that natty suit of dark blue, the slight andshort figure, the olive-skin and close-cropped hair that I had seenoften. 

'Do you know him?' asked Dave. 

'Not by name, ' I replied, and then I turned away to collect mythoughts. 

It was the brunette who lay there before me, clad now as when last wemet at the Ferris Wheel, in the garb of a man. 

There he lay, slender and youthful of face and form, with the small, clean-cut features that had made it so easy to masquerade as a dashingbrunette; the keen black eyes, seen through half-closed lids, werestaring and inscrutable, and the black marks where something had beendrawn so tightly about his neck as almost to cut into the flesh werehorrible to see. 

'I do not know his name, ' I again assured the officer in charge. 'Ihave seen him several times disguised as a woman, and once only in theattire in which he now lies dead. I have taken note of him as asuspected person, and I have believed him to be a man since June 7, 'and I related briefly my reasons for this belief. But I did not makeknown my belief in the dead man's connection with a gang of dangerouscriminals. There was time enough for that. Nor did I give voice to thebelief, swiftly taking shape in my mind, that he had met his death atthe hands of his comrades, and because of the letter I had caused toappear in the morning papers two days before--the letter of 'E. Roe, On the Square. '

The body of course must go to the Morgue and the coroner, and I toldthe officer where I might be found or heard of, if wanted for theinquest, and then we withdrew. 

'I was quite sure it was your brunette, ' declared Dave, now growncommunicative. 'Not by recognition; you know, I only saw "her" onceand then at some distance, but thanks to the honest guards andourselves--Murphy and I, that is--the body was not rifled, and Imyself helped to search the pockets, at the sergeant's orders, and toexamine the belt he wore. That gave me my clue; in it were half adozen more of Lausch's dew-drop sparklers, unless I am much mistaken, and two more of the pink topaz lot. He seemed to vary in his way ofcarrying his treasures. '

'I think I can explain that, ' I said. 'When he carried that chamoisbag, while disguised as a woman, he meant, no doubt, before layingaside the disguise, to negotiate the sale of them, and so had them inreadiness. He carried the emerald, you remember, and the other thingshe sold and tried to sell, in a little bag, so the tradesman said. '

'Well!' said Dave ruefully; 'one of the gang has slipped through ourfingers in a way we did not look for. Have you a theory that willaccount for this, Carl?'

I turned upon him almost fiercely. 

'I have, and so have you, Dave Brainerd. I don't for one moment doubtthat my mistaken policy has brought this murder about, and you can seehow it has complicated things. When I found through the brunette'snote--I can't seem to find any other name for him--that in allprobability we knew the men who had made away with Trent, I thoughtthe game was almost in our hands, and now----' I dropped my headdejectedly. 

'And now we're a good deal mixed, ' supplemented Dave dryly. 'We're ina dilemma!'

It was indeed a dilemma, if no worse. 

When Miss Jenrys had put that note from the 'little brunette' into myhand, I had opened it with scant interest, for I only desired throughthis medium to keep, if possible, some trace of her--or him. When Iopened the letter and saw the small, sharp, and much-slantedhandwriting, I almost exclaimed aloud in my surprise. 

The writing was the counterpart of that of the letter written to Mr. Trent, and opened by his daughter and Hilda O'Neil--the letterproposing a way to liberate Gerald Trent!

I could hardly wait until I could compare the two, and verify mybelief, and then I had at once told my discovery to Brainerd. 

If the brunette were indeed one of the 'clique' who had kidnapped ormurdered Trent, then that clique was composed of the very men we werehunting down, and we were nearer to the truth concerning Gerald Trentthan we had dared to hope or dream. 

It was a great discovery. It put a new face upon everything. And thenthe question arose: How could we best make use of this new knowledge?How quickest secure the miscreants, fasten this last, worst crime uponthem, and rescue Trent, if he yet lived?

And then the previously discussed project of making public thebrunette's letter--for the handwritings were identical, and we neverdoubted that the brunette and 'E. Roe' were one and the same--wasagain canvassed. 

'It's the thing to do!' Dave had declared. 'We are close upon thescent, and what we now want is a clue, just that. They are so securenow, they go and come so seldom, and with such system! And if we makea dash and do go wrong, they are warned; and now that we know our men, we know that rather than be taken tamely, or be betrayed by thepresence of a prisoner, they would resort to desperate measures. Let'sadvertise this Mr. Roe and his letter; it will show them that theyhave an enemy at home, it will disturb their fancied security; theywill begin to quarrel among themselves and forget their caution. Someof them will show themselves and show us the way to the rest. '

What I had counted on was the clause referring to the young ladies, which I had published after much hesitation. This, more than all else, would tell the man I believed to be at the head of this scoundrelband that he was known. He would understand the meaning of thatparticular sentence. He might see in it and the rest an actual bid fora compromise, and so become less cautious and vigilant. In fact, asDave declared, 'the publication of the letter and its attendantstatements was meant for a bait. '

Having decided upon this course, we had agreed to keep our discovery asecret until we had made this first experiment; and while awaitingresults we would not discontinue our efforts to locate our party, bywhich we meant to make sure that our attack, when made, would findthem all, or at least the chief personages, under one roof; for mybelief that by devious ways this 'clique' came together regularly, ifnot nightly, with their headquarters under one roof, and that roof notfar away, was strong. 

The fact that we were about to exploit the Roe letter had in itselfaroused fresh hopes in the hearts of Hilda O'Neil and the father ofGerald Trent, and we decided to keep the important fact that theletter had revealed to us between ourselves. 

For a few days it should be known to none but our two selves;meantime, from those few days we hoped for much. 

We had hoped much; and, after two days of waiting, something hadhappened indeed! The little brunette who had been so mysteriouslyinterested in June Jenrys, who had shown herself, and himself, anactive member of the 'clique, ' lay dead at the Morgue, murdered--bywhom?

'I can't look at it as an unmitigated misfortune, ' declared Dave, inreply to some of my self-condemnatory moralizing. 'Let us admit thatthe fellow's letter did cause his death. Wasn't it because he wrote itquite as much or more than because you printed it? And even grant youit was your deed, all of it, haven't you been labouring to get thatchap where he could do no more harm? Mark me! if we ever learn whothat lad is, he will prove to be one of the outlaws that the gaol andthe halter were especially meant for. '

This I could not doubt, and I took such comfort in it as I might. 

Of course the detective who had been in search of the brunette was atonce summoned, through Dave and myself, and the only informationbrought out by the inquest was that which, between us, we gave. He wasa 'crook, ' and would have been arrested by myself, had he lived, upona charge of masquerading in woman's dress while carrying out illegalschemes. Corey, the only name I shall dare give the clever Chicagodetective, declared the body to be that of a person, name unknown, forwhom he held a warrant upon a charge of robbery; and, lying dead inthe Morgue, the 'little brunette' was arraigned and proven guilty ofparticipating in the Lausch diamond robbery, of World's Fair fame, anda portion of the spoil was produced as having been found upon hisperson. The jewels were duly turned over to Monsieur Lausch, who hadnow recovered nearly, if not quite, half of the jewels he had lost, these all having been in the possession of the brunette. 

Between the event of the morning and the hour of the inquest I hadbeen busy, and when it was over I hastened to my room to arm myselfwith certain papers and intent upon securing the warrants, all saveone, for which I had so lately planned. 

At the door of my room a tall figure awaited me, and when I recognisedit as that of one of my chief's most trusted 'stand-bys, ' who seldomleft New York, I began to wonder. 

He had been directed to my quarters, he said, and finding thesurroundings to his liking, had awaited me there. He was not slow inmaking known his business, and he began with the query:

'Have you got Delbras?'

I had, of course, sent regular reports to my chief, and a weekprevious had informed him that we were on the trail of the Frenchman, and I answered:

'Not yet; but I mean to have a warrant out for him within an hour. '

'Don't waste your time, ' advised Jeffrys. 'I have a warrant and allthe necessary extras in my pocket. I have been in Chicago long enoughfor that. ' And he made haste to tell me how our chief had latelyreceived from France papers authorizing the arrest of Delbras, wherever found, upon the charge of murder. The French police hadworked out, at last, a solution to the mysterious murder in the Rue deGrammont. 

The victim, one Laure Borin, was found in her apartment stabbed inhalf a dozen places, and a tall, dark man, name unknown, was searchedfor in vain for many weeks. 

At last the crime was traced to Delbras, through the revelations of asecond woman, who, finding that the man she had believed in hiding hadreally crossed the ocean and left her behind, had at once avengedherself by putting into the hands of the police the means by whichthey had traced the crime home to Delbras. 

'You must not arrest the fellow, ' Jeffrys had said. 'Leave that to me. I have everything--extradition and all--and in Paris they'll not failto execute him. '

This last argument had its weight. I could not speak with equalcertainty of the formality which we call 'trial by jury, ' but I beganto feel that the fate of the 'clique, ' in one way or another, wasbeing rapidly taken out of our hands. 

One thing was assured; Jeffrys must wait and move with us; any effortof his to secure Delbras alone would endanger our chances for securingthe rest. 

Before going further with Jeffrys I felt that I must consult Dave. Hehad left me at noon to go back to Stony Island Avenue, where half adozen places, each more or less 'shady, ' were being constantlywatched. Leaving Jeffrys to look at the wonders nearest at hand for anhour, and this he was quite ready to do, I set out in search of myfriend and fellow-worker, wondering a little what he would think andsay of this new turn of affairs. 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

'A MERCYFUL DISPENSAYSHUN. '

As I left the Exposition grounds and came out upon Stony Island AvenueI looked at my watch, for I had in mind much that I wished toaccomplish before night came on. It was nearing three o'clock, and Ihastened my steps. 

Glancing about as I put away my watch, in the hope that I might seeBilly or Dave, as they from time to time shifted their place ofobservation, I saw, to my annoyance, on the opposite side, but comingtoward me almost directly across the street, Mrs. Camp. Her eyes werefixed upon me, and when she had reached the middle of the highway shewaved her arm in frantic gesture, which, in spite of my haste, broughtme to an instant standstill, knowing as I did that she was quitecapable of shouting out my name should her signal be ignored. 

As she came nearer I saw that her eyes were staring wildly, and herface wore a look so strange and excited that for a moment I fearedthat the marvels of Chicago and the Fair had unsettled her reason, andher first words did not altogether reassure me. 

'If this ain't a mercyful dispensayshun, ' she panted, stoppingsquarely before me, 'then I don't know what is! I was goin' to huntye up jest as fast as feet c'd travel, an' I never spected to be sothankful for knowin' a perlece officer ez I be ter-day. My!' catchingher breath and hurrying on; 'if I couldn't 'a' seen to gittin' themwretches arristed afore night, I'd 'a' had a nightmare sure, an' neverslep' a wink!'

'Mrs. Camp, ' I broke in, 'not so loud, please. '

'Ugh!' The woman suddenly dropped her loud tone and looked nervouslyaround. She was trembling with excitement, and the colour came andwent in her tanned cheeks. 

And now, to my surprise, I noted dangling from her arm beneath theloose wrap, which she wore very much askew, a black something, which, as she lifted her arm to pass her hand across her twitching lips, Iperceived was an ear-trumpet attached to a long black tube such as isused by the deaf, and my fears for her sanity were increased. 

'Mrs. Camp, ' I said, in a soothing tone, 'you seem exhausted; let metake you to your rooms, if they are not too far, and you can talkafter resting. '

Something in my tone or look must have enlightened her as to mythoughts, for she suddenly broke into a short, nervous laugh. 

'Oh, I ain't crazy! Though I don't blame ye if ye thought so, ' shesaid, with an attempt at composure. 'I was comin' to see ye, and it'simportant. I was goin' to that Miss Jenrys, but I forgot the numberher aunt give me, and so I struck right out for that office where Adamand me met ye that first time when I wanted ye arristed right off, yeknow. But, land! I be actin' like a plum fool. Come right along!' Shecaught my arm and turned me about. 'My place ain't fur, and I s'posewe can't talk in the streets. '

I began to fear that I should not easily escape her, and moved onbeside her, her hand still gripped upon my arm as if for support. 

'I shan't open my head ag'in, ' she said as we went, 'till we gitthere. ' And she did not, but when we had reached her door and I wasabout to make an excuse, and after seeing her safe indoors hasten onin my search for Dave, she said, much more like her usual self:

'Come right in now and find out what kind of a detective I'd make if Ihad a chance. It's your business, too, I guess;' and then, as I seemedto hesitate, 'an' it's about that counterfittin' man. '

Suddenly, somehow, the notion of her insanity vanished from my mind, and I followed her into the house. 

She opened a door near the entrance, and, after peeping in, threw itwide. 

'It's the parlour of the hull fambily, ' she explained as I entered, 'and I'm thankful it ain't ockerpied jest now, for our room ain'tmore'n half as big. '

It was the tiniest of parlours, but not ill-furnished, and the momentshe had dragged forward a chair for me, after the manner of thecountry hostess, and had made sure that the door was close shut, shedrew a small 'rocker' close to my own seat and began eagerly:

'I've had an adventer to-day, a reg'lar story-book sort of one. It'smade me pretty nervous and excited like, and I hope you'll excusethat; but I'm going to tell it to you the quickest way, for, 'nlessI'm awful mistook, them folks'll git out quick's they find out who Ibe, or who I ain't, one or t'other. '

'My time----' I began, hoping to hasten her story, but she went onhurriedly:

'Ye see, Camp has got so sot and took up with them machines, andwindmills, and dead folks, and dry bones down to'rds that south pondthat he ain't no company for nobody no more; so this afternoon--wedidn't neither one go out this mornin', for we'd been to see BuffalerBill las' night, and we was tuckered all out--so this afternoon Iwent with Camp down street instead of goin' the t'other way, for hethought 'twould be a good idee to go in a new gate; but somehow whenwe got there I didn't feel much like goin' in, seemed like 'twould besich a long tramp, and I jest left him at the gate and sa'ntered back, thinkin' I'd rest like an' be fresh for a good long day to-morrer. '

'Yes, ' I said, as she seemed waiting for my comment, 'I see. '

'Wal, I come along slow, and right down by--wall, I'll show you theplace, I'm awful bad 'bout rememberin' names; but when I'd got more'nhalf-way home, an' was 'most up to a house that stood close to thestreet, I see the door begin to open, real careful at first, an' thenquick; an' then out of the house came a tall man. He didn't look back, but I c'd see there was some one behind him, an' then the door shet. The man come down the steps, an' then he seemed to see me, an' a'moststopped. I tell ye I was glad then that I had on these. '

She thrust her hand into her pocket and drew out a pair of thosesmoked-glass spectacles so much affected by sight-seers at the Fair, and I was forced to smile at the strange metamorphosis of her facewhen she put them on and turned it toward me. With the small, sharpeyes, her most characteristic feature, concealed, the face becamealmost a nonentity. 

'Would you 'a' knowed me?' she demanded. 

'I think not. '

'Wal, I guess he didn't; anyhow, he give me a sort of inquirin' lookan' started off ahead of me. An' who d'ye s'pose he was?'

I shook my head, anxious only that she should get on with the story. 

'Wal, as sure as my name's Hanner Camp, 'twas that feller 't changedthe money fer Camp; the furriner one that I see in that Cayrow house;the one with the hands!'

'But--you said----'

'Yes, I know I did; but I studied it all over, an' I wa'n't mistook, not a mite! That feller jest went through an' out the back door, andchanged his clo's somewhar, an' came back playin' gentleman. But, Itell ye, I knowed them hands! 'Twas him I seen come out of that doorto-day. '

'Are you sure?'

'Sartin sure!'

'Then--wait one moment. Did you see him go far? Where did you see himlast?'

'Wal, there--there was an alley next to the house, and acrost that wasanother house, and then a saloon. He went into the saloon. '

'Oh!' This was the answer I had hoped for. 'Pray go on, Mrs. Camp. '

'I'm goin' to. You know I said there was a man come and shet the door;wal, I got jest a glimpse of him at the door, and it kind o' startedme, and I came by real slow, a-lookin' at the house. I noticed thatevery winder in the front was shet, and the curtains down, all butone, and that was the front one next the alley; that was open half-wayand the curtain was up. I couldn't see inside, but jest as I cameoppersite the winder a man's face popped right out of it for jest aminit, lookin' the way the other feller went, and then it popped outo' sight ag'in; but I had seen it square!'

'Who was it?' I demanded, now thoroughly aroused. 

'It was that feller that was so perlite to Camp and me the time youwas arristed; the Sunday-school feller. '

I started to my feet, and sat down again. She had been doing detectivework indeed! I thought I could understand it all. This was the housewe had for days suspected and watched, but the only one ever seen toenter it had been Greenback Bob. Doubtless the murder of the brunettemade them so uneasy that, contrary to custom, Delbras had ventured outby day, probably to learn what he could of the movements of theofficers. I turned to Mrs. Camp. 

'Mrs. Camp, ' I began earnestly, 'I am going to confide in you. Thosemen belong to a gang of robbers and murderers; we have been watchingthem for weeks. Fortunately, you have come upon them in such a way asto locate their hiding-place; you can help us very much if you willtry to recall everything just as you saw it there, and will answer afew questions, when you have told your story. Or--is this all?'

'All! I guess it ain't all; an' I guess you won't need to ask manyquestions when I get through!' I nodded, and she went on rapidly:

'When I see that feller dodge back and shet the winder, I rememberedwhat you had said about him and the others, and 'bout their tellin'me, to that office, how you was a detective yourself; and I jest sezto myself, says I, "I'm goin' to try an' git another look at thathouse;" so I went on past it till I come to a little store, and I wentin an' bought ten cents' worth of green tea, and when I comes out Igoes back, jest as if I was going home with my shoppin'. By the way, you ain't seemed to notice these new clo's. '

I had noted the black gown and cape-like mantle she wore, both plain, but neat and not an ill fit; and I had also wondered how she hadhappened to discard her old straw hat with the lopping green bows forthe simple dark bonnet she wore, but she did not wait for mycriticism. 

'I'll tell you how't come, ' she went on. 'I ain't blind, and I'd beena-noticin' the difference 'twixt my clo's and some of the rest of'em; and I was specially took with them plain gownds them ladies worethat you interduced me to that day; an' I jest studied on it, and sorto' calkalated the expense, and then went up to the stores. I wanted agray rig, like that Miss Ross had on, but I couldn't get none to fit, an' the young lady told me 't black was dredful fash'nable now, so Igot this rig; an' 'twas lucky I did ter-day. '

What could she mean by this diversion? I was growing uneasy when sheuttered the last words. 'Yes?' I said feebly. 

'I s'pose you wonder what I'm drivin' at?' she queried. 'Well, it'scomin'. Ye see, I was wearin' these clo's, and the goggles, as I call'em, when I went sa'nterin' past that house; but I hadn't got to it, nor even to the s'loon yet, when a cab--one of them two-wheeledthings, you know, with the man settin' up behind to drive. '

I nodded. 

'Wal, it drove up, an' the man opened the door, right in front of thathouse, an' out got a woman; she was bigger than me, and all drest inblack, an' she looked sort of familiar, an' jest as I was wonderin'who she made me think of, an' she was a-paying the driver, up comesanother cab, tearin', and out hopped two fat, red-faced perlecemen, an' there was a little squabble like, an' the woman flung herselfround so't I could see her face, an' then I knew her. '

She paused as if for comment, but I was now too much amazed for words. 

'I knew her in a minit, ' she resumed, 'an' it was that woman that comestridin' into that rug place in Cayrow Street that day. She hadn't nolong swingin' veil on this time, and she didn't look nigh so big'longside them big perlecemen. She had give up quiet enough when sheseen she had to; an' they put her into the cab an' drove away, witht'other one behind 'em. I walked pretty slow, so as not to come rightinto the rumpus, an' I thought, as I come acrost the alley, that I seesomethin' a-layin' by the side-walk on the outside. I looked round, and seein' that every last winder was as dark as black, I stooped downto look at the things, an' here they air. ' And she shook out with onehand a long black veil which she had drawn from her pocket, and heldout with the other the snake-like speaking-tube. 

'I c'n see you're in a hurry, ' she said, dropping the veil and tubeinto her lap, 'an' I'll git to the pint now, right off. I wa'n't neverno coward, and I jest ached to find out what them fellows was up to. Mebbe if I'd stopped to think I wouldn't have run the risk, but whileI stood there with them things in my hand a idee popped into my mind. I looked round; there wasn't a soul near me, an' the winders was alldark, so't nobody could see me from the house, and of course theyhadn't seen the woman git arristed an' took away. We didn't look muchalike, but I thought mebbe they'd let me in, thinkin' 'twas her; andwhen I got in I'd tell 'em I'd found the trumpet at their door, andp'r'aps, if I felt like it, I'd say I'd seen a gentleman to the winderthat I was 'quainted with; that is if he didn't come to the door. Anyhow, I thought I'd try to make sure it 'twas him I see at thewinder. '

I shuddered at her cool recital of such a daring venture; and yet Icould see how, with her country training, she would see nothing sovery serious or dangerous in thus thrusting herself into a strangehouse, gossip-like, 'to find out what was goin' on. ' She took up thetrumpet. 

'I was used to these things, ' she said, 'for my aunt on my mother'sside used to live with me; she was a old maid an' she used one. Stone-deef she was, a'most, but I didn't think then o' usin' this. When I got onto the top step I felt 'most like runnin' off all of asudden, but I set my teeth and give the bell a jerk. 'Twa'n't longbefore the door opened jest a crack, and I see an eye lookin' out. Imeant to git inside before I said anything, so I kind o' give thespeakin' trumpet, hangin' over my arm, a shake; it was 'most hid underthe veil, you know; and then the door opened wider, and I see a woman. My! the palest, woe-begon'dest woman I'd ever see, 'most. "Oh!" shesays, in a shaky, scairt sort o' voice, "come in quick. " She looked sopeaked and strange I jest stood starin' at her a minit, and all toonce she reached out her hand and motioned to me; and as I stepped inshe caught hold of the big end of the speakin' trumpet, and then I seethat she thought I was deef; and quick as a wink it come to me to playdeef 's long as I could--deef folks are allus makin' blunders--andthen to 'polergize an' git out. So I stuck the tube to my ear. 

'"You're the nurse?" she says through it, but not very loud, for adeef person, that is. "Louder, " sez I. So she sed it real loud, an' Inodded. 

'Then she motioned me to come into the room to the front, that I hadseen the man look out of. It was 'most dark there, only there was awinder on the alley that 'peared to be all boarded up, only jest aslit to the top to let a little streak of light in. "Set down aminit, " she says; an' when she let go of the trumpet her hand shookso't I could see it. She opened the door in the back of the room, an'I see there was a screen on the other side so I couldn't see the room, but I got up an' tiptoed to the door. The carpet was awful thick therean' in the hall, though it was old enough too. 

'She hadn't shet the door tight, an' I heard her say, "Wake up, Bob. "An' then a sort of question; an' she says ag'in, "The nurse has comeafter all, and you can go and sleep now. " Then I heard a man say, "What made the old gal so late, blast her eyes! I'd go an' give her agood old blessin' if she wasn't sech a crank-mouthed jade. " An' thenhe seemed to be stirrin', an' I 'most thought he was comin' in; butthen he says, "Git her in here, an' then git me somethin' ter eat. Ican't sleep when I'm so holler. " "Won't you come in an' speak to her, Bob?" says the woman, "an' tell her 'bout the med'cin'; I'm so tired. "

'Then I was scairt ag'in, though I declare I felt sorry fer that poorcrittur of a woman. 

'But the man snarled at her, and says, "Naw, I won't; I'm tired's yoube. Hustle now, an' bring me the grub mighty quick. "

'I scooted back to my chair then, and in a minit or so she come in an'motioned me to come into the other room. I see they had mistook me forsome deef nurse, an' I begun to think I'd grabbed more'n I could hold, an' to wish I was out. But I went in, an' if ever a woman was struckall of a heap, 'twas me. '

She paused as if mentally reviewing the scene once more, and I fairlyquivered with anticipation and anxiety for what the next words mightdevelop. 

'I had noticed that there was three winders on the alley side of thehouse, ' she resumed, 'an' there bein' only one in the front room, ofcourse I looked to see one sure in this, an' mebbe two, but therewasn't a winder; the wall on that side was smooth, only at the winderplace was a kind of cubbard arrangement like, an' the room was lit bya kerosene lamp. It was furnished quite good, too; but in a corner onthe bed laid a young man, as good-lookin' about as they make 'em; onlyhe was dretful pale an' thin, an' he 'peared to be sleepin'. 

'"There's yer patient, " says the woman, through the tube. "There ain'tnothin' to do now only ter give him drink, an' not let him talk if hewakes. He sleeps a good deal, an' when he wakes up he's out of hishead, an' 'magines he's somebody else, an' ain't in his own house, an'all sorts of nonsense. " She went to the bed an' stood lookin' at thesick man in a queer sort of way, an' she give a big long breath, as ifshe felt awful bad, an' then went out by a door that I knew went tothe hall, an' I heard noises in a minit more, as if they come from thekitchin stove. 

'Now I knowed she took me for a nurse and all that, but all the same Ibegun to think I'd better git out. I couldn't play nurse an' ask aboutthat Sunday-school feller too, an' I thought I'd jest made a bigblunder, an' I'd better git out 'thout waitin' for her to come back;an' jest then I heard a little noise, an' I looked round, an' the sickman had rolled over an' was lookin' at me straight, an' when heketched my eye, he says, "Come here, madam, please. " 'Twas a realpleasant voice, though weak, an' I went right up to the bed. He lookedat me real sharp, an' sort of wishful, and then he says, "You looklike a good woman. "

'I didn't say nothin', an' he kep' right on, sort of hurried like. "Iwas not asleep when you entered, " he says, "and I heard that poorwoman. I am not insane, and this is not my home. You have come here tonurse me, but if you want money you can earn a hundred nurses' fees bygoing to a telegraph office and telegraphin' to----"

'Jest then there was a noise in the hall, an' he stopped, an' I pickedup a fan an' stood as if I was a-fannin' away a couple of little mothsthat the lamp had drawed. 

'Nobody came in, so I went to the door an' listened. Seemed as if Iheard a door shet upstairs, an' I guessed the woman was taking up thecross man's dinner. So I went back to the bed. He laid still for abit, and seemed listenin'; then he says:

'"I am a prisoner, and have been half-killed first, an' then druggedto keep me so. My people are wealthy. They will pay you royally ifyou'll help me; if you'll go to the nearest police-station an' give'em a paper I will give yer, with my father's name, an'----" Hestopped ag'in, an' shet his eyes quick as lightnin'; an' the nextminit the pale woman came in quick, an' lookin' awful anxious. Shewent to the bed an' looked at the sick young feller, an' then she tookhold of the trumpet and motioned me to listen. "Can you hear?" shesays into it, not very loud. I nodded, an' looked to'rds the bed. "Hesleeps real sound, " she says, "and won't be likely to wake up, anyhow;I can't leave him alone to talk to you in another room. There'ssomethin' I forgot, an' some of them may come in any time now. Willyou do a wretched woman a small kindness?" She looked at me awfulwishful when she said that, an' I nodded my head ag'in. 

'"They told me not to let you in unless you gave me a card, and I--Iam so troubled I forgot to ask you for it at the door. Will you giveme the card now, an' please not give me away to the boys? I can'tstand no more trouble. I--I think it was your being so late made meforget. Why was it?"

'For a minit I was stumped, an' then an idee come to me. "Ter tell thetruth, " I says, as bold as you please, "I've been in a little trouble, an' I forgot that card. You see, I had to put off comin' here onaccount of a couple of perlecemen that was on the look-out fer me. I've only jest give 'em the slip. " You see I thought when she heardthat she'd make 'lowance fer the card, an' I wanted to talk more withthat sick boy, fer I b'leeved he was tellin' the truth. But, my! shejumps up, lookin' scairt to pieces, an' she says:

'"The perlece! Do you think they will follow you? can they? Mercifulgoodness! we can't risk it. I'm almost broke down, but I'll call upBob, an' you must go right away. Don't you see it won't do?" Shesnatched a key out of her pocket. "Come, " she says. "Mercy, what arisk!" I had took off my glasses and laid 'em down on the table by thebed. I picked up the black veil I had dropped on the chair, and jestas she went to take the key out of the hall-door--she had to turn herback to do it--I went to the table and took up my glasses, and triedto ketch that poor boy's eye and make him a sign; but, my! he laidthere with his eyes shet, an' sech a look of misery upon his poorface, an' all at once it struck me that I hadn't spoke once, an' thathe hadn't noticed the trumpet till the woman come in, and then hethought he'd been a-beggin' help of a deef woman. But I hadn't nochance then, an' as soon as she'd picked out the key, she says, "I'llhave to let yer out front. It won't do to risk your being seen comingout by any other way. "

'The way was clear when I got out; but I most dreaded meeting one ofthem men som'ers, and I jest started straight to find you. '

'One moment, ' I said hurriedly, as she now ceased. 'You spoke of MissJenrys--why did you think of going to her?'

'Why, she was nearest of anybody, an' I thought you was as likely asnot to be there. '

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

'EUREKA!'

AT twelve o'clock p. M. A party of men had gathered not far from thehouse where Mrs. Camp had made her singular discoveries; they camesingly and by twos, from various directions, and their movements wereso quiet as not to have disturbed the lightest of sleepers, howevernear, for with one exception all were trained to the business in hand. 

When two of the party had made a careful reconnaissance of thepremises they returned to the waiting group. 

'There's the door and two windows at the front, ' said one, 'and threewindows on the alley, the middle one, as we know, boarded on theinside. At the back is a door opening upon a sort of shed, and awindow in the same; and in the angle formed by the shed and the rearof the house proper is another window; on the inner side, opposite thealley, the wall is blank. There's no bed in the front room, ' thespeaker went on rapidly, 'though someone may bunk there. Of coursethere's a watcher in his room. Two of you must patrol the alley whileBrainerd cuts out a pane or two of that closed-up alley window, to seeif anything can be heard through the cracks of those inside boards, though it's probable they are padded to deaden sound. As for the upperrooms, they're sleeping there doubtless, and----'

'Don't forget, ' interposed Brainerd in a low half-whisper, 'aboutthose iron hooks outside those back windows. They're for somethingmore than signalling; they're stout enough to support a rope with aman at the end, and the rope and the man are both inside, no doubt. '

'Four to the back then, ' I said, 'and you, Jeffrys, take the lead;three to the alley, you and two others, Dave. If the thing's notaccessible, divide to back and front. Lossing, can you and Murphy holdme on your shoulders while I try that window? Now, all to our places;and there ought to be a train soon over there; let's do our cuttingunder cover of its noise. '

The Illinois Central Railway was but a little distance from us, and wetook our places to await the sound of its first train. But fortune, having baffled and hindered us again and again, seemed now to haverelented toward us. 

Before trying the window I crept up the steps to examine the lock ofthe door, and judge, if I could, of its security. Lossing, as he stillpreferred to be called, and Murphy, the policeman, were standing belowme, one on either side of the steps, and as I stood at the door abovethem I turned and looked about me. All seemed quiet up and down thatoften unquiet street, and the lights from either direction hardlyserved their purpose there, a fact which had been considered, doubtless, in making choice of this place. 

It was after midnight now, and as I heard, far away yet, the firstfaint rumble of the train, I put my hand upon the handle of the door. 

Was it imagination, or did I feel a responsive touch upon the otherside? I let my hand rest lightly upon the knob, and waited; then, suddenly, as the rumble of the train came nearer, I sprang down thesteps, and, crouching at the side of Lossing, whispered across toMurphy, 'Lay low and be ready; someone's coming out. ' There was notime for more words, but I never doubted the readiness of my twohelpers, nor their quick comprehension of the situation. 

As the rumble of the train came nearer, the door opened, almostwithout noise, and shut again; and softly, slowly, looking up and downthe street, but not below him, almost within reach, a man came downthe steps, paused an instant, and stood upon the pavement, to feel, before he could turn his head, a hard grip upon either arm, a coldpressure at the back of his neck, and simultaneously a low whisper:

'One sound and you are a dead man. '

It was all the work of an instant, and so quickly and quietly donethat our friends in the alley were not aware of our capture until wehad secured our prisoner and Lossing had gone to summon Dave. 

Then, still in utter silence, we led our first capture across thealley, and Murphy flashed a dark-lantern in his face. 

It was a pallid and cowardly countenance that the light revealed, andI was not surprised to recognise the man I had dubbed 'Smug' upon theday of my arrival at the World's Fair. He was trembling violently, and thoroughly cowed. 

We had no difficulty in searching his pockets; he did not so much asremonstrate--perhaps because of the pistol I had now transferred tothe hand of Lossing. By the light of the dark-lantern I selected fromamong a number of keys taken from his pocket a slender one, which, asit only needed the look upon his face to tell me, was the key to thestreet-door. 

'Listen!' I said to him, holding the lantern high. 'It will be to yourinterest to help us, and you will find it so if you help to make whatwe are about to do as easy and quiet as possible. We know who are inthat house, and if we can take them without noise and trouble, so muchthe better for them. The place is surrounded; they can't escape alive. Is anyone in the front room, lower floor?'

He shook his head sullenly. 

'You were put there on guard--is it not so?' He blinked under thelantern's rays, and I saw that I was right. 'And you thought it wouldbe quite safe to slip out for an hour or two; and so it would havebeen last night or the one before. Now, is Delbras on the second-floorfront? You had better tell me!' He nodded sullenly. 'And Bob?Remember, your answers can't injure their case and will benefit yours. My word is good. Is Greenback Bob there?' Again the sullen fellowbowed his head. 'And how many more, exclusive of your prisoner?' Therascal started, and seemed taken with a new panic. 'You had better bequite frank, ' I admonished. 'How many?'

He held up three fingers as well as the handcuffs would permit, and amoment later we had left him at the mouth of the alley, guarded by twoofficers, while we arranged for our attack. 

One man was left to guard the rear, with full instructions coveringany and all possible emergencies, and one was told off to guard thefront entrance, while the remaining six were paired: Lossing withmyself, at his own request; Dave and one officer, and Jeffrys withanother. Murphy we had left with Smug, and in charge of the partywithout. 

'Masters, ' Lossing said, 'I want to be with the man that attacksDelbras. I owe it to him. ' When Jeffrys had heard him he declaredDelbras his prey. But I also had my word to say. Jeffrys might servehis warrant and bear off the captive from the city, but he could onlytake him when I had failed; and so it was arranged. 

When all was ready we waited, six of us, upon the steps of the gloomyhouse, until after what seemed an hour, and was in reality tenminutes, had passed, and then a long freight train came rumblingcityward. As it came near I inserted the key in the lock carefully andturned it slowly, and without noise; and while the sound still coveredour careful movements, we entered the hall, leaving the officer incharge of the door. 

Then, when Dave and his companion had entered the front room and stoodready to move upon the watcher through the door behind the screen, trusting the other door to the watchful eye of the guard at the front, we crept upstairs, with that sidewise movement which insures one whohas the patience to try it a silent if slow passage, to the top, insingle file. 

At the top we separated, and while we--Lossing and myself--took ourplaces at the door near the front, Jeffrys listened at the two reardoors, to make sure of the location of his prey, and at a signal whichthe guard below passed on to Dave we moved, each armed with adark-lantern, to the attack. 

I could hear Lossing's breath close beside me as I carefully andslowly tried the knob of the door and found that it yielded silently. 

The house was an old one, and we saw as we slowly opened the doorthat the lock was only a fragmentary one; there was on the other sideonly a handle like that without. Holding our lanterns low we glidedin, and were half-way across the room when I raised the lantern andturned its light carefully toward the bed, from whence long gutturalbreathing told of a sleeper unconscious of our nearness. With lanternin one hand and pistol in the other, I made a forward step as I saw bythe ray thrown across the bed the form and face of Delbras; and then, suddenly, beneath my foot, something cracked and burst with a sharpexplosion. 

Only a parlour match, but it brought the sleeper to a sitting posture, and broad awake in a moment. He did not seem to so much as have seenme, but his eyes and Lossing's appeared to meet and challenge eachother, and quicker than I can tell it he had bounded from his bed, snatching something from under the pillow as he sprang--something thatglittered in his hand as he hurled himself upon Lossing, and the twograppled and swayed, with the knife gleaming above their heads, heldthus by the strong hand of the English athlete. 

As I sprang to place my lantern upon the table at the bed's head, thatit might help me to see and to aid Lossing, a shriek rang from theroom at the rear, and the next moment I saw the knife sent flying fromthe hand of Delbras, and the two go down, still struggling. A moment Iwatched them struggling there, and then somehow the villain wrenchedone hand free and gripped it with an awful clutch upon Lossing'sthroat; the next there arose from below a succession of screeches thatmight have issued from the throat of a bedlamite. 

Once and again I had tried to interfere in Lossing's behalf, but theeffort seemed useless, until, as the screams from below ceasedsuddenly, I sprang past the two, and, turning suddenly, struck atDelbras with my clubbed pistol. I had aimed at the arm clutching atmy friend's throat, but a sudden movement brought the villain's headin sharp contact with the butt of the pistol, and his hold suddenlyrelaxed, and he lay stunned and at our mercy. 

When Lossing, not much the worse for his tussle but somewhat short ofbreath, had risen and shaken himself together, I said: 'He's onlystunned and will soon come to. Shoot him if he stirs before I comeback. ' And I ran to the room in the rear. 

What had happened there can be soon told. 

When Jeffrys opened the door of the rear room, which did not boast alock, he saw a lamp burning dimly upon a shelf in a corner; upon thebed opposite a woman and a man, both sleeping, and under the onewindow a coil of rope ladder, as if ready for use. 

The face of the woman was ghastly pale, and her sleep must have beenvery light, for suddenly she opened her eyes, and seeing the officers, uttered the cry, which at first only caused her lord and master togrowl out an oath and turn over; whereupon she clutched at him wildlyand cried to the men to leave them; they would give themselves up ifonly the officers would withdraw and permit them to rise and dress. 

The man, meantime, seemed to awaken slowly, and to be dazed andstupid, and he paid little heed to his wife's cries as he draggedhimself to a sitting posture. 

'You'd better get up, ' said Jeffrys sternly, 'and give up. You're allin for it. '

Possibly the shrieks that came from below at that moment convincedhim, for he answered with a scowling face: 'I guess I know when I'mbeat. If you'll shet the door, or turn yer backs so my wife can getup, I'll be quiet enough. Shet up, Sue!'

'All right, ' said Jeffrys; and the two officers drew back from thedoor, and Jeffrys, drawing it half-shut, said, with his eye upon theman, 'Now, the lady first, ' and pistol in hand he waited. 

The one window was opposite the door and the bed close beside it, sothat the half-closed door concealed from Jeffrys both window andwoman. He heard her spring up, and at the instant, almost, a slightscraping sound, then suddenly, at the very moment when I stepped fromthe farther room, the light went out--there was a bound, an oath, ashrill whistle, and, as I reached the door, the flash of a bull's eye, and two pistol-shots came close together. 

As I sprang into the room the light revealed an open window, with therope ladder half out, half in, and upon the floor beneath it GreenbackBob, with Jeffrys kneeling upon his breast, and the attendant officer, with pistol aimed and bull's-eye in hand, at his head. Upon the bed, weeping and moaning piteously, lay the woman, her face buried in thepillow. I went to her and put a hand upon her arm; she lifted towardme the most woeful face it has ever been my lot to see, and said, withmournful apathy:

'Don't fear--I don't want to escape! I knew the end must be near. ' Andshe dropped back with an air of utter exhaustion upon her pillow. 

I turned to assist Jeffrys in securing Greenback Bob, who, now thathis pretence of stolid apathy had failed him, was an ugly customer todeal with, and who was resisting with all his strength and filling theair with blasphemy. It was necessary to secure him hand and foot, andwe had but just completed the task when Dave came bounding up thestairs. 

'Eureka!' he cried. 'It's a complete catch; and Trent's alive, and thehappiest man in Chicago, or the world. Hello!'

He had glanced at the prostrate counterfeiter, and his lastexclamation was in answer to a voice from the room where I had leftLossing guarding the senseless Delbras. 

Following Dave's significant gesture, I went with him to the door ofthe room, where, to my surprise, Delbras, his face quite bloodlesswith rage and weakness together, was slowly dressing himself under thesternly watchful eye and steadily aimed pistol of Sir Carroll Rae. 

The latter had gathered the garments together while Delbras layunconscious, keeping a watchful eye and ready weapon the while, andhad placed them close at his side, first removing from a pocket asmall sheathed knife. And now, with his own weapon in hand and thoseof Delbras collected on the table at his side, he was compelling theFrenchman to make his toilet at the point of the pistol, and his setface left in the mind of the enraged and baffled rascal no room todoubt him when he said:

'Unless you have put on those garments within a reasonable time I willcall a pair of policemen to dress you; and if you make one sound ormovement other than in obedience I will shoot every bullet in thisweapon into your body, and do it with pleasure. '

'How was it?' I asked Dave while this toilet was proceeding, and westood ready for the trick or attempt at resistance we more than halfexpected from the Frenchman. 

'I guess you heard it about all. Trent lay there wide awake, mightyblue, and too weak to lift his head; and a big negress was half-dozingin her chair by the bedside, with a pistol at her elbow. She made agrab for it, and yelled, as you probably heard. Trent was assaultedand half-killed, nursed back to life for what there was in it, and hasjust come to his senses, awfully weak, but game enough to resist theirefforts to make him appeal to his father for a big ransom. That's allI've had time to hear. '

CHAPTER XXXV. 

AFTER ALL. 

Trent, of course, was not strong enough to be moved, and that and thelate, or rather the early, hour, it being now almost two o'clock a. M. , decided us to camp down in the house until morning. So the men outsidewith Smug in charge were called in, and with our prisoners securelyguarded, we passed the few hours before daylight in conversation, Dave, Jeffrys, Lossing, and myself, in Trent's room. 

I was doctor enough to see that the poor fellow had been sufficientlystartled by our appearance and the events of the night, and so, eageras we were to hear and he to tell his story, we imposed silence uponhim until he could be seen by a physician--at least comparativesilence; and as he declared himself 'all right' except for hisweakness, and finding that he was, very naturally, unable to sleep, oreven to rest quietly, we told him briefly the story of our search forhim, and in telling it led him slowly to the knowledge of his father'spresence in the city and the nearness of his betrothed. 

More than once his fine eyes filled with tears and his lips trembledas we told of his sweetheart's telegrams and his father's anxiety; andwhen he had heard it all, he lay a long time silent but wakeful, andevidently thinking, and at last, just as the first faint streak ofgray became tinged with a beam of red in the east, he fell asleep, with a smile upon his pale lips. 

When the negress had been removed from the room, she had begged to betaken to her 'dear Missis Susie, ' who, she declared, was 'sick enoughto die'; and I led her upstairs to the room where the pale, wornwoman still lay, in the room from which her husband had been removed. 

As the negress entered the room the woman lifted her head, and with aninarticulate cry threw herself into her servant's arms; there was amoment of wild sobbing, and then, as I was about to set a guard at thedoor and withdraw, the negress uttered a shrill cry, caught theslender form in her stout arms and laid her upon the bed, and I saw athin stream of blood trickle from between the white lips. 

Restoratives were at hand, for this was not the first attack, thenegress said; and when the woman had been cared for, and at last laysleeping from exhaustion and, I fancied, the help of an opiate, Iquestioned the servant. 

Her mistress, she said, was a southern woman, and she had been herservant since 'befo' the war, ' when that mistress was a child of six. 

An orphan with a small fortune, 'Mistress Susie' had married GreenbackBob, 'Master Robert, ' she called him, and had followed him and clungto him through all his downward career of crime, as the big, heavy-featured coloured woman had clung to 'Missis Susie. ' Whenprosperous, Bob was kind; when unlucky or drunk, he was cruel andcoarse. 'Missis Susie' had inherited consumption, and that and troubleand danger had 'wo'n her life away, ' as the woman said, with big tearsdropping upon her dark cheeks. 

'This las', ' she concluded, 'hit's been the wo'st of all. An' thatsick boy! Missis Susie prayed 'em to let him go away to the hospital, when he was hurt and couldn't give anyone away. But they nuver heardto Missis Susie--nuver! They wouldn't have been trapped like this ifthey had. '

It was by my proposal to bring the physician--whom at an early morninghour I had summoned to see Trent--to pass judgment upon 'MissisSusie' also, that I won the negress to tell me something about Trent;how at early evening he was brought in by Bob and Delbras, whom shecalled Hector, and whom she evidently both feared and hated; how aphysician was called, as the young man was insensible, and how, fortunately for them, he continued delirious for three weeks and morewhile the two wounds on his head, both serious ones, were healing; howthe 'gang' had deliberately taken the risk of keeping him until he hadso far recovered as to be beyond the danger-line, knowing that theycould not safely negotiate the return to his family of a prisoner whomight die perhaps while the negotiations were pending. 

She told how some one of the gang proper was always on guard in thesick-room by day, and often by night, and that it was only since thegoing away of one of the gang, Harry by name, that they had entrustedthe prisoner to her care alone. 

It did not take me long to find out that the person she called Harrywas the brunette, now lying dead at the Morgue, and I saw, too, thatshe did not dream of the fate that had overtaken him, although I feltsure that the woman Susie did. 

At early dawn the three men, Delbras, Bob, and Smug, or Harris, as hiscompanions called him, were taken away under charge of Dave Brainerdand Jeffrys, to be locked up and safely kept until Jeffrys should takeDelbras to New York, and thence to France. The others would await ourappearance against them. 

When the physician came, I took him from young Trent's bedside to thatof 'Missis Susie. '

Of Trent he had spoken only words of cheer. His wounds were healing, had healed in fact healthily, and with no danger of after-trouble, mental or other; and now he needed only good nursing, good food, tonics, stimulants, and for a little longer quiet and not too muchcompany. He might be moved, he told us, upon a cot, and for a shortdistance, that afternoon; and he commended us for our wisdom in notfollowing up the excitement of the previous hours with an instantmeeting between the invalid and his father and sweetheart. Now, 'aftera light breakfast and good nerve tonic, ' he might see his friends, when they had been prepared and warned against unduly taxing thepatient's nerves and strength. 

Of the sick woman above stairs there was a different tale to tell. Shemight linger for weeks, but for her there was no recovery. 

When the negress--Hat, her mistress called her--heard this she wasinconsolable, and when I had promised her that, if possible, sheshould remain with her mistress to the end, she was ready to be myslave; and knowing that nothing could help or hurt her mistress more, she was willing to tell me what she could about the gang and theirmethods. 

She had no love for her mistress's husband, and she seemed to haveremembered against him every unkind deed or word spoken or done to her'Missis Susie. ' Delbras she had ever feared and hated, and Smug shedespised as the coward decoy of the gang. For Harry she expressed aliking. 'He was bad, that's true, ' she declared; 'sharp as you pleaseand tricky; but he was good to my mistress when the others forgot her. He was good to her always, and he bought her books and fruit. When hedressed in woman's clothes she would help him, and he never forgot tothank her. But they quarrelled, Harry and Bob and the Frenchman, andhe left night before last. '

I told her of Harry's fate, and she cursed his slayers with oaths likea man's; and after that her testimony was ready, and it helped usmuch. As for Susan Kendricks, for this was the name by which the poorsoul had wedded Greenback Bob, there came a time when she told me herstory, and a sad, sad page it was, with little light anywhere upon it. She had taken little part in their dangerous enterprises, only now andthen appearing somewhere with Harry when he was masquerading as agirl, in order to mislead the officers or the neighbours in theirestimate of the number and sex of the gang; or to play a part, as onthe night when she personated June Jenrys in order to entrap Lossing. 

 * * * * *

But when the ship's in port who cares to wait for the furling of thesails? The journey ended, we go ashore. 

Little need to describe the meeting between Gerald Trent and hisfriends, which occurred shortly after the going away of the 'gang' andthe visit of the doctor. 

He told them the story of his 'disappearance, ' and the manner of itwas briefly thus:

At one of the small tables in the Public Comfort Café he had dinedopposite Smug, whose confiding and kindly obliging manner and generalair of being a good but rather slow young man made him an invaluabledecoy for the gang. Here Trent's rather careless display of awell-filled purse, together with the fine watch he carried and hisvaluable diamonds, quietly but mistakenly worn, had no doubt attractedSmug, who had made himself agreeable, but not obtrusively so, and hadcontrived to meet him again and yet again. The last meeting was atevening, when, while chatting easily, he had expressed a desire tovisit Buffalo Bill, and Smug, claiming to be a near resident, verymodestly offered his escort, and was so unobtrusive and so eminentlyproper while confessing to a weakness for 'horse shows, ' that Trenthad been quite disarmed. 

At the close of the entertainment, the Elevated trains beingovercrowded, Smug had carelessly recommended the Central, allegingthat one of its suburban stations was little more than two blocksaway, and proffered himself as guide, as an afterthought, and becausehe could show him a short cut. 

'He showed me several, ' concluded Trent, with a grimace; 'for, havinglured me away from the crowd and into an almost deserted andill-lighted street, we were suddenly attacked, and my "short cuts"were administered upon my crown. '

Some hazy remembrance caused him to believe that they had taken him totheir lair, half-carrying and half-dragging him, and representing himto an inquiring policeman as being a victim of too much brandy andbeer. 

Then came his illness, a dream of fever, pain, and delirium, and aslow return to reason, to find himself a prisoner, too weak to lifthead or tend, and yet fully determined not to help his rapaciouscaptors to a fortune at his father's cost. 

Since his return to reason he had, as much as possible, rejected whathe believed to be opiates, and had feigned sleep to avoid theirthreats and importunities, and to meet cunning with cunning. 

While thus sleeping (?) he had heard some of their whispered plotting, and he was able to explain how it was that Mrs. Camp had succeeded incarrying out her wild but successful adventure. 

Among Smug's acquaintances was a certain widow, or a woman who passedfor such, who called herself a nurse, and whose services 'came high. 'However, she was 'one of the right sort, ' who 'asked no questions, 'and 'always obeyed orders. ' Upon the night of Harry's disappearancethere had been an unusual commotion in the house, and a recklessnessof speech quite uncommon; and before morning it was decided that Smugshould secure the services of this valuable nurse at an early hour, asthey must have 'another hand. '

Before noon Smug had reported the arrival of the nurse at an earlyhour, and the fact that she was 'hard of hearing' was counted in herfavour. Smug had further said, to the satisfaction of Delbras--whoby-the-bye had never entered Trent's room without first assuming thedisguise of an elderly foreigner--that the woman was especiallywilling to come because of a little difficulty with 'the cops, ' whowere 'too attentive for comfort. '

Thanks to the successful attention of these same 'cops, ' the woman hadleft in Mrs. Camp's hands the means whereby she might penetrate thisstronghold of iniquity, and so be enabled to do what we had schemedand planned to accomplish, and but for her might have made only apartial success. 

Mrs. Camp was the heroine of the hour, and we bent to her ourdiminished heads, and willingly declared her a detective indeed; for, while we had fathomed the disguises of the gang and tracked them home, it was her masterly coup that had made of our raid the assured successwhich it was. 

To say that Mrs. Camp was made much of by Hilda O'Neil, June Jenrys, and Miss Ross is to put it mildly, and the good woman cared far morefor the petting and praise of the two pretty girls than for thegratitude and congratulations of all the rest of us; and the friendsshe has found through her singular raid upon Smug and company will beher friends for all the years to come. 

How I first established a connection between the crook Delbras and thefine gentleman who had taken New York society by storm as MonsieurMaurice Voisin was a wonder to many, until I had laid before them theprocess of reasoning by which it was done. 

I had entered the classic Fair-grounds intent upon searching among themany faces for two, one a blond young Englishman, the other a dark andhandsome Frenchman, and a letter picked up in the crowd had given mea mental photograph of these two, though I knew it not. 

Before I had ever seen Voisin I had said of him, mentally, 'I believehe has tricked Miss June Jenrys and young Lossing. ' Then I saw him incompany with Miss Jenrys that day before our meeting, and I could nothelp seeing how perfectly he answered the description of Delbras. Nextwe met, and I could not believe in him; and the glimpses of GreenbackBob's disguised companion in Midway, as agent and fakir, all werewonderfully like Monsieur Voisin, man of fashion; and so from day today I had watched him as he sought to dazzle the eyes of sweet JuneJenrys, hoping for the time when I might unmask him before her. 

Then came the attack upon Lossing at the bridge, in which we both sawthe hand of Voisin. Mrs. Camp, too, added her quota to the solution ofthis riddle when she recognised in Voisin the swindler of the TurkishBazaar, and identified the hand of Voisin as the hand which had heldout the Spurious bank-notes to Camp; and, finally, there came hissecond attempt to destroy Lossing in the Cold Storage fire, ending asit did in his own disaster and in revealing to me the scar upon thetemple so minutely described in the chiefs letter as belonging toDelbras. 

The man had maintained a stolid indifference and a stubborn silenceafter his arrest, even when he learned how complete was his exposureboth as Voisin and Delbras. 

Before his departure for New York a complete record of his misdeeds, so far as we knew them, was made and put into the hands of Jeffrys. The man Smug, or Harris, as might have been expected, was willing tobetray his companions in crime, now that he knew himself safe fromsuch vengeance as had been meted out to Harry, the brunette, and inthe hope of such measure of immunity as is sometimes bestowed upon therascal who 'confesses' the evil deeds of his associates. It was byhis testimony that we fixed the theft of Monsieur Lausch's diamondsupon the gang, and the attack upon Lossing, or Sir Carroll Rae, uponDelbras and Bob; and it was through Hat, the negress, first, and thenfrom Smug, when sharply questioned, that we learned of their last andvilest plot, which was to obtain the ransom for Trent, if possible, orto 'put him out of the way' if this failed, and then, with their handsfree, to purchase a small yacht and to kidnap Miss Jenrys, keeping herout in the lake until she should buy her release by marrying Delbras. 

The only time when Delbras was seen to blench or to appear other thanthe stolid, sullen, and silent criminal was when Miss Jenrys, accompanied by her aunt, was obliged to appear and identify him as theman who had masqueraded as Monsieur Voisin. 

Then, indeed, his dark face paled, his eyes fell before hers, and heturned away with bowed head. 

Clearly such love as such a man can feel had been laid at the feet ofqueenly June Jenrys, who had learned the truth concerning him withamazement, horror, and loathing. 

While the body of 'the brunette, ' Harry, lay at the Morgue, a tramp, strange to the police and to the city, viewed it with the many otherswho gloat over the horrors of life, and who, having looked long, andwith a startled face, pronounced the body to be that of a professionalthief long wanted by the authorities 'out West. '

'He wuz a born bad un, ' the man declared, 'an' a born thief. Hecouldn't stay anywhere long on that ercount. I'll bet he's picked morepockets than any lag at the Fair. He was a slick one. Liked the women, and most generally had a lot of friends 'mong 'em wherever he was; buthe most generally left 'em the poorer when he got ready to quit. "Little Kid, " that's what they used ter call him, 'cause he was littlean' good-lookin'; but there wasn't a decent hair in his head. ' Andthe tramp turned away with a malevolent look at the dead man. 

And that was all we could learn about 'Harry, ' for Smug, ready to talkon all other subjects, would utter no word as to the manner of Harry'sdeath. 'He had left them, ' that was all he would say; and by this weknew that Smug was doubtless the decoy who had lulled the suspicionsof the victim and made it possible for the bolder spirits to do thedeed of death. 

Delbras was taken to France, and before the closing of the great Fairhad met his fate at the hands of the French executioner. 

Greenback Bob and Smug might have spent all their days in prison ifthey had possessed three lives apiece, so many were the counts againstthem. Their trials were separate, and came about after weeks of delay. There were no friends with long purses to 'influence' the jury, andunless that elastic pardoning power is stretched for their benefit, ashas sometimes happened in similar cases, Greenback Bob and Smug willemploy their future time honestly and for the good of the race. 

Sir Carroll Rae had a very fair reason for remaining in America for atime; and so, placing the business of his newly acquired estates inthe hands of the London solicitor who had been Sir Hugo's legaladviser, he remained in the World's Fair City, where, with mindsunburdened, the entire party, with at first the exception of GeraldTrent, who was rapidly recovering in spite of the overwhelmingattentions of his friends, took up the much-interrupted and pleasantemployment of seeing the World's Fair, with eyes that saw no flaws, even in the Government Building. 

The Trents did not linger when the invalid was well enough to travel, but hastened to the home where Mrs. Trent, an invalid still, but ahappy one, awaited her son's return impatiently, after the long weeksof suspense. 

There are no weddings in this tale of strange happenings, which, nevertheless, are not more strange than many of the unwritten annalsof the Fair. But when the early autumn came, two pairs of lovers, chaperoned by a discreet little Quakeress, renewed their acquaintancewith the Court of Honour, loitered in the shadows of the Peristyle, drifted upon the Lagoon, and, pacing its length, recalled anew thestrange adventures and experiences of that wonderful, impossible, kaleidoscopic, yet utterly and charmingly real Midway Plaisance. 

THE END. 

 * * * * *

BY THE SAME AUTHOR. 

1. Shadowed by Three. 2. The Rival Detectives. 3. The Diamond Coterie. 4. The Detective's Daughter. 5. Out of a Labyrinth. 6. A Mountain Mystery. 7. Moina. 8. A Slender Clue. 9. A Dead Man's Step. 10. The Lost Witness. 

 * * * * *

WARD, LOCK & BOWDEN, LTD. 

 * * * * *