y that would die away when its fomenter had been "read out of the
party" at the convention by the regular organization, still he had been
in the game too long to take unnecessary chances. He felt that it
would be wise to have the delegates assemble where all the surroundings
would be favorable and where his ablest and confidential men could do
their work in peace and quiet.

The convention was to, meet on the last Thursday in September. On the
preceding Monday morning, Culver--Dumont's small, thin, stealthy
private secretary--arrived at Saint X and, after making an appointment
with Merriweather for half-past twelve, went out to the Eyrie to go
through a lot of accumulated domestic business with Mrs. Dumont. When
she in a most formal and unencouraging manner invited him to stop
there, he eagerly accepted. "Thank you so much," he said effusively.
"To be perfectly frank, I've been tempted to invite myself. I have
some valuables with me that I don't feel at all easy about. If I
should be robbed, it would be a very serious matter. Would it be
asking too much of you to ask you to put a package in your jewel safe?"

"I'll be glad to do it for you," replied Pauline. "There's plenty of
room--the safe's almost empty and it's ridiculously large."

"My package isn't small," said Culver. "And on my mind it weighs
tons." He reached into his large bag--at sight of it Pauline had
wondered why he had brought such a bag up from the hotel when his
papers for her inspection were so few. He lifted out an oblong, bulky
package.

"If you'll just touch that button," said she, "James will come and show
you how to get to the safe."

Culver hesitated nervously. Finally he said: "I'm making a nuisance
of myself, Mrs. Dumont, but would you mind going to the safe with me?
I'd much rather none of the servants knew about this."

Pauline smiled and bade him follow her. They went to her private
sitting-room and she showed him the safe, in a small closet built into
the lower part of the book-case. "You have the combination?" asked
Culver, as he put the package away.

"I see that you don't lock this door often."

"How fortunate you spoke of it!" said she.

"The combination is on a bit of paper in one of the little drawers."

Culver found it in the first drawer he opened, and handed it to her
without looking at it.

"You mustn't let me know it," said he. "I'll just fix the time lock so
that it won't interfere." And when he had