e the most of it, so when Travers
Gladwin turned to him and asked:

"I rather think Gladwin's gone out, don't you?" Barnes nodded and
answered positively:

"He was here only a few minutes ago."

This reply drew Helen's attention immediately to Barnes and taking a
step forward she said eagerly:

"Oh, I hope he's here. You see, it's awfully important--what I want to
see him about."

Whitney Barnes nodded with extraordinary animation and turning to
Gladwin impaled that young man with the query:

"Why don't you find out if he's in?"

While Gladwin had come up for air he was still partially drowned.
Turning to Helen Burton, he forced an agreeable smile and said
hurriedly:

"Yes, if you'll excuse me a moment I'll see, but may I give him your
name?"

It was Helen's turn to recoil and stepping to where Sadie had at last
got upon her feet, she whispered:

"Shall I tell him? They both act so strangely."

"Oh, no, Helen, dear," fluttered Sadie. "It may be some awful trap or
something."

While this whispered conclave was going on Travers Gladwin made a
frantic signal to Whitney Barnes behind his back and mumbled:

"Try and find out what it's all about?"

"I will--leave that to me," said Barnes confidently.

Leaving her cousin's side, Helen again confronted the two young men
and said tremulously:

"I'd rather not give my name. I know that sounds odd, but for certain
reasons"----

"Oh, of course, if you'd rather not," answered Gladwin.

"If you will just say," Helen ran on breathlessly, "that I had to come
early to tell him something--something about to-night--he'll
understand and know who I am."

"Certainly, certainly," said the baffled young millionaire. "Say
that you want to see him about something that's going to happen
to-night"----

"Yes, if you'll be so kind," and Helen gave the young man a smile that
furnished him the thrill he had hunted for all over the globe, with a
margin to boot.

"I'll be right back," he gasped, spun on his heel and passed dizzily
out into the hallway.

CHAPTER XIV.

THRILL BEGETS THRILL.

Gladwin's exit from the room served as a signal for the agile-witted
Barnes to strike while the iron was hot. His friend had hardly
vanished through the portieres when he turned to Helen with an air of
easy confidence, looking frankly into her eyes, and said:

"It's singular that my friend doesn't know what you referred to--the
object of your call," and he nodded his head w