led Grace after the hurrying figure. Then with a
sudden flash of inspiration she called, "Miss West, please wait a
minute."

The figure halted, and in the next second Grace confronted the coldly
inquiring eyes of the newspaper girl.

"Would you like a real news item for your paper?" she asked impulsively.

Kathleen regarded her with an expression of mingled incredulity and
contempt which changed to one of lively displeasure. "Do you believe
that I would accept anything from you?" she asked tensely.

"I never thought of that," returned Grace, her color rising. "I was
thinking only of the story. Suppose for once we put aside everything
personal. I have something to tell you that cannot fail to be of
interest to you. Will you forget that I am Grace Harlowe and listen to
me?"

Grace's earnestness impressed Kathleen against her will. She hesitated
briefly, then said in a low voice, "I will listen to you."

Grace began with the story of the bazaar given on the Thanksgiving
afternoon and evening of her senior year in high school. She related
briefly the theft of the strong box containing the bazaar money, the
unsuccessful attempts of the police to apprehend the thief, the finding
of the money by her and Eleanor Savelli and the capture of the thief by
the Oakdale police in the haunted house.

Kathleen listened to Grace's rapidly told narrative with growing
interest.

When she came to the trial of the thief and his recognition by the
officers as "Larry, the Locksmith," Kathleen interrupted excitedly:
"Why, that's the man who has escaped from prison. The police of all the
large cities have been ordered to watch for him. He is an exceptionally
clever criminal who has always escaped until that time in Oakdale. And
to think it was you who were responsible for his capture! I remember the
affair. It was my first year on the paper. One of our reporters was sent
on to interview this Larry. He laid his capture to the fact of his
having been foolish enough to waste his time in a small town."

The newspaper girl had now become eager and animated. Her black eyes
gleamed with excitement. "Did you know he had escaped?" she asked.

"Yes," replied Grace. "That is the part I am going to tell you. He is
here in Overton. I saw him to-night."

"You saw him?" questioned Kathleen, her eyes wide with astonishment.

Grace nodded. "To-night and one evening last week, too. I wasn't sure
then. But to-night I knew him. I followed him to a hou