Mrs. Wilson Woodrow

“ Achison thoughtfully lighted a cigarette, and then turned toward her with his persuasive, delightful smile.
“I wouldn't, my dear Mrs. Ames; I really wouldn't, if I were you. Why should you bring a pain of worry to those who love you, and humiliation upon yourself? Chance has made me the sole repository of this secret of yours; let it remain so.”
“But?” she began.
“I know!”—with a wave of his hand. “I know just what you are going to say: that doesn't give you back your bonds. ”

“ As the clerk left the room, Achison turned again to Betty: there was a quizzical expression on his face.
“What are you thinking?” she asked.
“Only that in view of your problem,” he replied, “it strikes me as a little odd that the client just announced should be a safe blower.”
She looked up quickly. “A safe-blower?”
“Yes, a fellow generally known as Harry Thorne, although he has, of course, a string of other aliases.”
“You're trying to make fun of me,” she scoffed. “I know. It's probably some perfectly respectable citizen.” ”

“ Darn women, anyhow!”
“God bless women!” laughed Achison. “Cheer up. You've had a rough day, and your nerves are a little on edge. But don't worry; your bonds are perfectly safe, and Betty will be all right by the time you get home. What was the matter? Did she find another lady's letter in your coat pocket?”
“No; and she wouldn't bother if she did,” Ames growled. “She's not the jealous kind, and she knows that I wouldn't waste a thought on any other woman—knows it too well. ”

“ Philip Ames of Park Avenue with those of Mike Willetts, gangster and gunman, who was earnestly wanted by the police, but had for some time successfully eluded their pursuit. But the imagination, however inelastic, must always yield to the fact; and the truth was that in the invisible world of causes, Mike Willetts' arrest was due entirely to Betty Ames, although she would have been the first to refuse to believe it. ”

“ He shrugged his shoulders. “I tried to frighten Thorne by saying so, but he was too clever for me. You see, the arrangement for conducting the case, including the payment of my retainer, had all been completed before the robbery took place. I am convinced, too, that Willetts is innocent, and I feel it a matter of public duty to clear him if possible.”
“I see.” Her voice was noncommittal but the smile lingered. “But it was impossible for me to sit idly waiting, Mr Achison; and so, although I did not take your first suggestion and go to the police I did put a private detective on the case.” ”

“ Achison looked bewildered. It took him a moment or two to recall Betty's visit. Then he broke into a peal of laughter.
“A tec' indeed!” He wiped his glasses. “I'm afraid you're not up on the social register That, Harry, was Mrs. Philip Ames, the wife of one of our best-known millionaires. She's in some trouble too, poor lady.
“Harry,”—he frowned thoughtfully,—“take the advice of age and experience, and never have any business dealings with a woman unless the terms of Darling creatures, it are down in black and white. Darling creatures but uncertain—uncertain.” ”

“ Don't you know that in the best crook circles they never practice their nefarious wiles upon their friends? It simply isn't done.”
Half yielding to his compelling magnetism, half resisting it, almost persuaded but not quite, she gave him an enigmatic smile.
“I never apologize, Mr. Achison; I simply ignore. Good-by.” ”

“ Angrily, and as through a mist, she saw his face beyond it, the nostrils dilated and showing white dints at the corners, his lips curling back in a wolfish smile.
“You—you low thief!” she gasped.
“Same to you,” he jeered insolently. “Now I'm going to walk out the front door, and I guess you wont scream, nor phone to the station-house, neither—not with this receipt in my pocket.” ”

“ Burglars don't often work without being pretty sure what they're going after, and to put on a watchman would simply advertise the fact that you had something worth their efforts. Does anyone beside yourself and Betty know that the bonds are in the house?”
“Betty doesn't,” returned Ames emphatically—“nor any one else.” ”

“ Do you know, it has always seemed to me that Whistler was far from inclusive enough when he said: 'The story of the beautiful has never been told; it was hewn in the marbles of the Parthenon, and painted with the birds on the fans of Hokusai.' But to my mind the story of the beautiful is written in many other things—yourself, for instance. ”

“ And now”—he picked up his hat and stick—“I am going to scout about a little in certain circles. I've been doing some work lately which has taken me more or less into the underworld, and I've made a valuable friendship or so. If I hear anything that will help clear up the situation, I will let you know at once.”
“Oh, but time is pressing! Phil will be home the last of the week.”
“I know. But let me tell you, Mrs. Ames, you are no more anxious to recover your bonds than I am to show up Achison in some of his sinister activities. That's all I'm living for at present.” ”

“ The fact is, then, that Philip received a payment late yesterday of thirty thousand dollars in Liberty bonds on some property of yours he had disposed of, and since it was after banking hours and he had to leave almost immediately, he could think of nothing better to do with them than to leave them in his library safe. The bonds are unregistered, and not even listed; so there they lie at the mercy of any chance thief who might come prowling around. ”

“ He tells me, for instance, that not one of Thorne's friends has actually increased his subscription to the Willetts defense fund, but that Thorne himself has 'tilted'— Isn't that the word?—the amount contributed by each so as to quadruple the original total. He says that crooks generally are talking of nothing else but the size of the fee you are receiving. Forty thousand dollars they name as the figure—which would be the original ten thousand tilted by just the amount that was taken from Philip's safe.”
The veins on Achison's forehead swelled. ”

“ Betty swept on, but just as she made to open the outer door her hand-bag slipped from her wrist and fell to the floor with a little silver clatter.
[Illustration: He twirled the antiquated combination..... The door swungopen. Thorne reached inside, and handing the package of bonds to Mrs. Ames, closed the safe.]
Thorne recovered it and handed it back to her.
“Thank you,” she murmured with her gleaming smile. “So stupid of me!” And then, as he was about to turn away: “I wonder if you're not the man Mr. Achison was just speaking about. ”

“ Lord knows what she's been up to. She—But that's my train they're calling.” he interrupted himself hastily. “I've got to run. So long!”
“Good-by and good luck,” said Achison heartily. “Enjoy yourself; it's a beautiful world, if you don't bother over trifles.”
“I'll make a try at it, anyhow,” Ames called back over his “You're good medicine, Achison.”
He passed through the gate, and the lawyer, deep in thought, walked out into the crowds and noise and late-afternoon sunshine of Forty-second Street. ”

“ As the two shook hands, though, Philip brightened a little. In his present perturbed state of mind the desire was strong for the counsel of some safe person; and who safer than Achison?
After a brief word or two he drew the lawyer away from the group about the gate.
“I've got something on my mind, Achison. I just closed a real-estate deal—some of Betty's property—with that man Sprague, and he made a first payment of thirty thousand dollars in Liberty bonds. ”

“ Some one along the table claimed her attention just then, and Achison did not get an opportunity to speak to her again until the close of supper.
“We will have to go back and play now,” he said as they rose from the table, “and I sha'n't have a chance really to talk to you this evening; but I'm curious to know just what church you've been robbing that you require twenty-five thousand dollars to make good, and also why you have forsworn beef-stew. Come down to my office tomorrow and tell me about it. I am really very ingenious sometimes in suggesting expedients ”

“ THE paper-cutter which he was turning over in his hands clattered slightly against the desk.
“Yes; and naturally you are disappointed at the result?” His suave was tinged with acerbity.
“Not wholly so,” she corrected. “The detective, in fact, has discovered quite a number of things which have surprised me enormously. ”

“ His eyes roved about the table, and then fastened themselves to the same spot in the rug which had engrossed Betty Ames' attention ten minutes before.
“Well.” He gathered up his hat and stick. “Look here, Mr. Achison: give me until tomorrow, and I can tell you better about it. What with the high cost of living and all, it's doubtful if the boys can come across as strong as that; but—well, anyhow, I'll let you know tomorrow.”
“Very well. Good-by, my boy.” Achison returned to his papers
But Harry still halted in the doorway. ”

“ It was intensely annoying to him, he assured her, that he had made so little headway in the affair of the bonds since he had last seen her.
“I have cross-examined that villain Thorne,” he went on, his brow darkening, “and I threatened to throw up his brother's case unless he immediately returned your property. He swears, of course, that he took nothing except the single one-thousand-dollar bond you promised him, and that you are now distorting the facts for purposes of your own. Pure invention, we know ”

“ In the first place, Achison informed you of those bonds and where they were, explaining also that they were easily negotiable. I don't believe that that was a slip of the tongue on his part; his tongue is too well trained to slip, unless he means it to do so. Then he suggested that you come to his office the next afternoon at three o'clock. The burglar also happened to be there. How do you know that Thorne's very pat appearance was not all arranged beforehand?”
“Ridiculous!” Betty broke in quickly. “Thorne came there to see about his brother's defense. Mr. ”