, this day."

Shirley hung up, and smiled with satisfaction at the news. The man would
be glad to get bread and water, before long, he felt assured. However,
he despatched a note to Cleary, of the Holland Agency, enclosing a
written order to Merrivale to deliver over the prisoner, for safer
keeping in the city.

This disposed of the started out from the club house for his afternoon
of dissipation. As he left the doorway, he noticed the two men with the
black caps standing not far away. They were engrossed in the rolling of
cigarettes, but the swift glance which they shot at him did not escape
Monty.

"Like the poor and the bill collectors, they are always with us," was
his thought, as he calmly strolled over to the Hotel California. He
determined to place them in a quiet, sheltered retreat at the earliest
opportunity. He found Helene more attractive than ever.

"Shall I put on this wretched rouge again to-day," was the plaintive
question, after the first greeting. "I hate it so--and yet, will do
whatever you order."

"Your role calls for it, my dear girl. Perhaps we may close the dramatic
engagement sooner than we expect. To-night should be an eventful one,
for I will accept every lead which Reginald Warren offers. I would like
to have a record of his voice, and that of some of his friends. There
is a difference between the telephone voice and that heard face to
face,--you would be a good witness if I could persuade him to sing or
speak for me into a record. You can straighten out the difficulties of
this case, if you will, in a thoroughly feminine manner."

"And what, sir, is that, I pray you?"

"Give him the opportunity--to fall in love with you."

Helene's cheeks flushed a stronger carmine than the rouge which she was
administering, as she looked up in quick embarrassment.

"I don't want him to love me. I want no man to love me," was the
petulant answer.

"Doubtless you have reason to be satisfied as things are," replied
Shirley, puffing a cigarette, "but the softness of cerebral conditions
increases in direct ratio with the mushiness of the affections. If it
is important to us--and you are my partner in this fascinating business
venture--will you not sacrifice your emotions to that extent: merely
to let him lead himself on, as most men do?" He paused for a critical
observation of her, and then added: "You are even more beautiful to-day
than you were yesterday. He cannot help loving you if he is given the