eared.

"Go out and ask the professor if that new entertainer I'm expecting has
arrived," he ordered.

The waiter was gone but a few seconds.

"She's come," he reported. "She's up on the stand and will go on right
after the intermission."

"That's her," said Druce to Boland. The waiter vanished.

"Good," said Boland. "Druce," he went on, "I'm pleased with the way
you've handled this. Here's something to prove it." He took a document
from his breast pocket and passed it across the table. It was the lease.

"Thanks," said Druce, keenly pleased by an inspection of the papers,
"that looks good to me."

"It's yours," returned Boland, "but of course I expect you to carry out
your part of the contract."

"How about Harry?"

"No need to worry about that. He'll be here."

"Well, we're waiting on him."

There was a pause. Neither man seemed to know how to continue the
conversation. Druce broke the silence.

"Boland," he asked, "what have you got against this girl?"

Boland resented the question, but was compelled to answer.

"She wants to marry my son. I don't think she's fit to marry him. If she
were, she wouldn't be in a place like this."

Druce laughed unpleasantly.

"You know very well," he replied, "that she wouldn't be here if I hadn't
managed it for you."

Boland made no reply for this. Druce went on.

"Tell me," he demanded, "on the square, now, is that all you've got
against this girl?"

"Just what do you mean by that, Druce?" demanded Boland, eying him
calmly.

"Didn't you know the Welcomes before this girl came into your son's
life?"

Boland turned very pale.

"That's an idiotic question," he answered. "How would a man in my
position know people like the Welcomes?"

"When I was in Millville," replied Druce evenly, "I heard a good deal
about old Tom Welcome. It seems that someone stole an invention from
him."

"Just why should I be interested in that story?"

"I don't know," replied Druce. "It just struck me that you might be.
There was no harm in asking, was there?"

Boland ignored the question.

"Look here," he said, changing the subject, "suppose you get this lease
from me, are you sure you can continue doing business as you are without
police interference?"

Druce laughed and picked up the receiver of the telephone which stood on
the table. There was an attachment that enabled Boland to hear at the
same time. He handed the second receiver to the master of the Electric
Trust.