tarted to descend the stairs. The house was already, however, a blaze of light. Electric alarm bells were ringing, and servants were hurrying toward the l

ands, a pale, sullen-looking man, who had apparently accepted his fate quite philoso

een taken?" she

Bill Danes, I'm sure o' that, and we can lay our hands upon him at any time. This one I don

d. The carpet had apparently not been disturbed. T

inary burglars?" s

esit

er I saw in my life. They had spies all round the house to help them es

the bound m

ked at him a

one of them," she said. "I

all about it. He smiled when

o run such risks. However, I suppose they ha

en apprehended said not a word. He seemed to accept his position with stolid fatalism. The cross-

busy flashing messages east and west, all over the country. The work in which he had been engaged was zealously pushed home. No one saw his secretaries coming and going so often from his room, and neither of them was willing to admit, in fact they flatly denied when questioned, that th

e, Groves," she asked,

library, madam,"

's room?" she asked, wit

s and Mr. Higgins, two of the master's greatest friends, an

ed at the man

my orders that no one was t

r of these two gentlemen, because they were constant visitors here, and old frie

to find one that fitted her uncle's desk. Higgins, who held an open penknife, seemed to have been attempting to pry the lid. They started as they saw Virginia ente

by my uncle's orders that no one enters it. I regret that you were shown here by a servan

ggins had moved a litt

realized that her

esterday. We were willing to let it remain here under ordinary circumstances, but after the events of last night, we do not propose to let it stay here another hour. If your uncle is not well enough

rginia answered. "May I a

said, "and to find our way somehow or other into

lmly, "that I shall not permit a second bur

came f

them stay here now that he is lying upstairs dangerously ill, and one attempt to steal them has already been made. Take the case at its worst; if your uncle should die, a seal would be put upon all his effects, and nothing in the world could stop those documents becoming public property. You can't realize what that would mean to us. It would mean ruin n

is well enough to decide what shall be done. While he remains in

I mean anything of the sort. But between us we will give one hundred thousand dollars for those papers, and I guarantee that when yo

rned her ba

h I can discuss with you or your friend. I cannot let you stay in

, but she was too quick for him. She wheeled suddenly round, and s

though you were if you don't leave this room. Don't think that this is a toy either," she continued. "Revolve

not hesitate. She pulled the trigger of her revolver, and a bullet wh

id. "Higgins, take tha

ck to the wall, and Higgins, after on

ou've lost your head. Beg Miss Longworth's pardon and come away. S

's face himself, and with a shrug of the shoulders

ss said. "I am going to tell him that whatever the risk t

ia answered. "That has

t was still fast locked. She looked down at the carpet and found it undisturbed. Then she stood up, and started violently. The inner

uted two of the worst scoundrels in New York. Now ple