Harry Boland, not getting his
connection.

Grogan beckoned Miss Masters to his side. "If there's a letter there for
me in an envelope like this," he said producing the dark blue letter from
his pocket, "you keep it."

"Really?" Miss Masters now smiled openly.

"Keep it," reiterated Grogan, "don't show it to me or I'll climb up the
side of the building and jump off."

Miss Masters thoroughly amused vanished into the hall. Meanwhile Harry
Boland was talking to Millville.

"Millville?" he said. "Yes this is Harry Boland. Oh!" He paused with a
distinct note of disappointment in his voice. "Oh, it's you, Clark? Yes I
know--You've something to report about the Welcomes."

"The Welcome family," said Grogan, pricking up his ears.

"All right, I'm listening," Harry went on. "Yes, I get you."

"Look at that now," continued Grogan reflectively.

"No, no, you needn't wait there any longer--All right."

He hung up the receiver.

"Asking your pardon," ventured Grogan, "may I take the liberty of an old
friend to inquire what Mr. Boland wants with a bum family like the
Welcomes--"

"Just a moment, Mike," interrupted Harry putting out his hand
imperatively. "You're speaking of the girl I mean to marry."

Grogan gaped at the young man.

"I am?" he gasped.

"You are," replied the other. He rose to his feet and turned tranquilly
toward Grogan. "Now what are you going to say?" he inquired.

"Nothing," said Grogan, too surprised to talk.

"All right," replied Harry pointedly.

"But the old man is no good," hazarded Grogan. "Tom Welcome is a
worthless--"

"He's dead, Mike," interrupted Harry.

"What?" This was a day of surprises for Grogan.

"He's dead," repeated Harry, "died the night we left Millville."

"Well," Grogan's manner had changed. "There were some good points about
the man, after all. I've heard he'd never take a drink alone--if he could
avoid it."

"And the Welcome family has moved away," Harry went on.

"Where?"

"No one knows. I've been too busy to investigate myself so I sent Clark
to locate them."

"Aha," said Grogan. "Then it was Clark you were talking to?"

"Of course," replied Harry impatiently, "didn't you hear?"

"Yes, yes, but--" Grogan broke off abruptly. "Say, didn't that fat fellow
who was going to be a detective, the fellow who nearly killed me riding
on his grocery wagon, didn't he know anything?"

"He's left Millville, too."

"What!" exclaimed Grogan incredulously. "Do you