that had
been lying on the floor back of the congressman. "Well! well! your
bank book, Wales. Must have slipped from your pocket."

Wales took the book in a dazed, mechanical way. "Why--I have no--this
is not mine," he murmured, gazing alternately at the pass book and at
Ames.

"Your name's on it, at least," commented Ames laconically. "And the
book's been issued by our bank, Ames and Company. Guess you've
forgotten opening an account there, let me see, yes, a week ago." He
took the book and opened it. "Ah, yes, I recall the incident now.
There's your deposit, made last Friday."

Wales choked. What did it mean? The book, made out in his name on Ames
and Company, showed a deposit to his credit of fifty thousand
dollars!

Ames slipped his arm through the confused congressman's, and started
with him down the balcony. "You see," he said, as they moved away,
"the Mercantile failure will not hit you as hard as you thought. Now,
about that cotton schedule, when you cast your vote for it, be sure
that--" The voice died away as the men disappeared in the distance,
leaving Carmen and Haynerd staring blankly at each other.

"Well!" ejaculated Haynerd at length. "What now?"

"We must save them both," said Carmen quietly.

"I could make my everlasting fortune out of this!" exclaimed Haynerd
excitedly.

"And lose your soul," replied the girl. "But I will see Mr. Ames, and
tell him that we overheard his conversation. He will save us all."

Haynerd then smiled, but it was a hard smile, coming from one who knew
the world. "Listen, my dear girl," he said, "we will keep quiet, you
and I. To mention this would be only to court disaster at the hands of
one who would strangle us at the slightest intimation of our
knowledge. Can you not see the consequences to us?"

"I can see but the right," returned Carmen determinedly. "And the
right shall prevail!"

"But, my dear girl," cried Haynerd, now thoroughly alarmed both for
himself and her, "he would ruin us! This is no affair of ours. We had
no intention of hearing; and so let it be as if we had not heard."

"And let the lie of evil prevail? No, Mr. Haynerd, I could not, if I
would. Mr. Ames is being used by evil; and it is making him a channel
to ruin Mr. Wales. Shall I stand idly by and permit it? No!"

She rose, with a look of fixed resolution on her face. Haynerd sprang
to his feet and laid a detaining hand upon her arm. As he did so, the
screen was quickly drawn aside, and