m to the Riverside. A new bond of experience had
been established between them. They dined quietly and as the lights
grew mellow she told him more of her story than she had ever breathed
to any other living soul.

As Murray listened he looked his admiration for the daring of the
little woman opposite him at the table.

They drifted....

It was the day of the threatened exposure. Curiously enough, Dodge felt
no nervousness. The understanding which he had reached or felt that he
had reached with Constance made him rather eager than otherwise to have
the whole affair over with at once.

Drummond had been shut up for some time in the office of Beverley with
Dumont, going over the report which the accountant had prepared and
other matters--He had come in without seeing either Constance or
Murray, though they knew he must be nursing his chagrin over the
episode of the night before.

"They are waiting to see you," reported Constance to Dodge, half an
hour later, after one of the office boys had been sent over as a formal
messenger to their office.

"We are ready for them?" he asked, smiling at her.

Constance nodded.

"Then I shall go in. Wait a moment. When they have hurled their worst
at me I shall call on you. Have the stuff ready."

There was no hesitation, no misgiving on the part of either, as he
strode into Beverley's office. Constance had prepared the record which
they had been working on, and for days had been momentarily expecting
this crisis. She felt that she was ready.

An ominous silence greeted Dodge as he entered.

"We have had experts on your books, Dodge," began Beverley, clearing
his throat, as Murray seated himself, waiting for them to speak first.

"I have seen that," he replied dryly.

"They are fifty thousand dollars short," shot out Dumont.

"Indeed?"

Dumont gasped at the coolness of the man. "Wh--what? You have nothing
to say? Why, sir," he added, raising his voice, "you have actually made
no effort to conceal it!"

Dodge smiled cynically. "A consultation, will rectify it," was all he
said. "A conference will show you that it is all right."

"A consultation?" broke in Beverley in rage. "A consultation in jail!"

Still Dodge merely smiled.

"Then you consider yourself trapped. You admit it," ground out Dumont.

"Anything you please," repeated Dodge. "I am perfectly willing--"

"Let us end this farce--now," cried Beverley hotly. "Drummond!"

The detective had been doing some