o come. They have accepted me as a necessary
evil. The little fellow, Roman, came into Dordess's office while I was
there. Shook hands with me like a little man. He has pluck, that kid.
I will never forget the dogged way he trailed me. By the way, why did
you never take him on the _Ernestina_?"

"We did sometimes, and sometimes he remained on shore to trail Simeon
Deaves. He made up as a girl, and you never spotted him. When you
came aboard the _Ernestina_ we had to hide him."

"The deuce you did!"

"What about Charley Straiker, Evan?"

"He's coming, too. Dear old Charl! We have had a heart-to-heart talk.
Everything is fixed up between us. You have never told me how you got
hold of him that day. I didn't like to ask him. Too sore a subject."

"There's nothing much to tell. I was in the library reading-room that
morning, not to get the money but just to watch out for danger. Paul
Roman got the books out. I saw Charley come in and sit down beside
him, and I knew what was up. I immediately went and sat down on the
other side of Charley. He was glad to see me. I was quite frank with
him. I introduced Paul Roman to him. I told him my story. It won his
heart, that's all."

"It wasn't the story, but your eyes, confound them!"

"Oh, you never will believe that anybody can be influenced by
disinterested motives!"

"How did you find out that other time that the bills were marked?"

"Tenterden has a brother in a bank. He told us about the warning sent
out by the Mid-City Bank."

"Corinna, how did you ever come to chum up with a woman like Maud
Deaves?"

"I didn't chum up with her. I never laid eyes on the woman. It came
about gradually. I found out early in the game that when we sent
letters to her it had the effect of exerting a tremendous pressure on
her husband to pay. Later, through the servants, whom Paul Roman had
bribed for me, I found out that she was in money difficulties. After
that every time we got the money I sent her part, and she worked for us
like one of ourselves. We never failed to get the money one way or
another, as you know."

"I know," said Evan ruefully.

"But don't let us talk of those times any more. It's a sore subject
with me, too."

"One more question, and I'll drop it forever. Confess that you came
and took a room at 45A Washington Square for the especial purpose of
seducing me."

"Evan! What a word to use!"

"I used it merely in a figurative sense,