ht to discuss it since it hasn't been
announced, but I thought you knew." He nodded toward the group of
callow youths who surrounded Angelica. "It's an open secret that he's
going to marry your cousin."

Still later, as the two Norths rode homeward, the older turned a
speculative eye on his son.

"Win, how did you meet Miss Murdaugh?--Don't look at me like that, you
young pirate! I mean the first time. I overheard some of your
conversation before dinner."

"I refuse to answer, not on the ground that it would incriminate either
the lady or myself, but merely because it is against the rules of the
game." Winnie responded glibly, throwing an affectionate arm across
his father's shoulders. "Governor, she's a peach of a girl!"

"She is a most extraordinary young woman." Mason North agreed, with
conviction. "Fine-looking, too; I don't believe I noticed it before
to-night. You seemed to be getting on famously with her later in the
evening. Except when she is angry, I have never seen her so animated."

"Yes." Winnie sobered. "We were talking about another fellow."

CHAPTER X

AN ACE IN THE HOLE

November was well advanced, and the first snow of the season was
falling when Starr Wiley reappeared in New York. His coming was
unheralded, but Harrington Chase was on hand when the train crawled
into the station at midnight and the two partners repaired to the room
of the returned wanderer, where they held an absorbing conference until
the small hours.

Nevertheless, Wiley was stirring bright and early. He appeared thinner
than a month or two previous, and he was tanned as with much roughing
it on the open trail; his eyes, too, were clear, but there was an odd,
furtive droop to their lids which had not been noticeable before.

Abstractedly he drank his coffee, and then, ignoring the tray piled
high with its accumulation of mail which his valet had placed on the
table, he drew his lounging-robe about him and picked up the telephone.

When his number was connected a respectful male voice replied to the
summons.

"Mr. Halstead. Mr. Vernon Halstead, please. . . . Well, wake him,
then. . . . I can't help that, it's important."

There was a full minute's pause and then a querulous, sleepy voice
grumbled over the wire.

"That you, Vernie? This is Starr. . . . Just last night. . . . No,
you won't, either, you're not supposed to know I'm in town till someone
else tells you later in the day, do you un