You'll not send me to jail, will you?"

"That remains to be seen," replied the detective tersely. "For the
time being you are to remain here in the cottage. Talk with no one."

"Yes, sir," murmured the housekeeper meekly.

The detective did not bother to tell the woman that Michael Gladwin and
Michael Haymond were the same individual for he felt that the less she
knew the easier it would be to carry out a plan which was forming in
his mind.

Penny had supposed that her father would go directly to Herman Crocker,
confronting him with the evidence. Instead, Mr. Nichols bided his
time. He held several conferences with the Kendon police force.

During his frequent absences from the cottage, Penny, Susan and Michael
were left to keep watch of Mrs. Masterbrook. The housekeeper was never
allowed to talk with anyone by telephone or to greet persons who
chanced to come to the door. While she had given her promise not to
disclose anything, Mr. Nichols preferred to take no chance.

"This is the set-up," he told Penny as they held secret session. "I
have arranged so that Jay Kline mysteriously recovered his package of
letters----"

"But Dad----"

"It is the only way to trap him, Penny. With the letters in his
possession, he'll meet Herman Crocker tonight by the footbridge. When
Crocker pays over the hush money, police will arrest them both."

"I'd love to see the big roundup," said Penny eagerly.

"You shall," Mr. Nichols promised. "You've earned the right."

That night long before the appointed hour, Penny, her father and
several plain-clothes men were waiting in the bushes for the arrival of
Kline and Herman Crocker.

Jay Kline was the first to reach the footbridge. He appeared to be
very nervous and smoked one cigarette after another. Now and then he
would light a match and glance at his watch.

After a fifteen minute wait Herman Crocker's car was heard coming down
the road. The automobile stopped some distance from the bridge, and
Penny, who had keen eyes, saw that the old man had brought his grandson
with him. However, he left the boy in the car and came toward the
bridge alone.

"Well, did you bring the money?" asked Jay Kline.

"I could raise only half the sum you demanded," the old man whined.
"You have the letters with you?"

Jay Kline produced the packet.

"Oh, no you don't," he laughed as Herman tried to take the letters from
him. "You'll get them only when you've paid over all the mon