rtable experience with Officer 666.

"Try a saloon," said Gladwin. "And when you've found him, bring him
here quick!"

"Ladies steal something?" ventured the Jap, starting for the door.
"Autbile go fast like winds."

"Some one is going to try and steal something," replied the young man.
"We must see that they don't. Hurry, now!"

"Ees, sair. 'Scuse me," and Bateato vanished.

"That's the way to do it," Barnes enthused, rubbing his hands. "Get a
policeman in here, and when the other Mr. Gladwin shows up nab him.
Then this marriage can't come off without the aid of a prison
chaplain."

The excitement that for an instant had transfigured Travers Gladwin
suddenly left him. A look of dismay spread over his features.

"By Jove, Barnes!" he cried. "We can't do this!"

"Why not?" asked Barnes.

"Why? Because it would make a tremendous scandal. I'm not going to
have my future wife mixed up in any public hoorah for the newspapers.
Think of it--her name in the papers coupled with the name of a crook!
Her picture on one side and a Rogues' Gallery photograph on the other.
Impossible! The police must know nothing about it."

"I don't follow you," said Barnes. "What are you going to do--kill him
and stuff him in that chest? He probably deserves it, but it would he
an awfully unpleasant thing to have around the house."

"Shut up! Let me think," cut in Gladwin.

Then he added with swift inspiration: "Now I've got it. I'll wait
outside for her to come and warn her of her danger. You stay in here
and be on the lookout for the man."

Whitney Barnes threw up his hands and ejaculated:

"Good night!" He made as if to start for the door.

"No, no, Whitney," cried Gladwin, "we must see this thing through
together. You wouldn't want this sweet, young, innocent girl connected
with a sensational robbery, would you?"

"No," Barnes agreed soberly; "neither would I want any robber's
bullets connected with me."

"You're a coward!" blurted Gladwin, hotly.

"You bet I am," acquiesced Barnes, "and I'm alive to tell it. Likewise
I may have some marriage plans of my own. But keep your hair on,
Travers. Let us do some real thinking, unaccustomed as we are to it,
and see if we cannot devise some safer plan."

"What plan is there?" groaned Gladwin.

"Let us think--concentrate," suggested Barnes, posing himself with his
elbow on one hand and his forehead supported on the fingers of the
other. Gladwin unconsciously fell into the same p