a few
days ago he sent for me and forced me to try to get a line on this Tia
Juana woman through you. I hated it, Willa, but, God! what could I do?"

"What you are going to do now." Willa rose with decision. "You're going
to Mason North at once, and make a clean breast of the whole thing."

"I couldn't! I thought of that, but you don't know the old boy--"

"I know he's square, and I guess I can handle him, if you can't. I'm
going with you and I'll reimburse him for the four thousand, to let the
check go through. Then you can tell Wiley to go--to go ahead and show
you up."

"Willa!" Something very like a sob welled up in his throat. "You would
do that for me, after--after----"

"You didn't do anything very dreadful to me, Vernon."

"But I promised to spy on you."

"That's all right. Wiley is in this affair simply on a business deal as
he told you to-day, although I doubt the squareness as far as he is
concerned. But I'm out for higher stakes--" She paused, clinching her
hands. "Never mind about that. I'm going to 'phone Mr. North, and see
if we can catch him at home."

"Look here." There was a ring of strength in Vernon's tones. "I
appreciate, no end, what you've offered to do, Willa, but it can't be!
I'm pretty low, I'll admit, but I'm not such a rotter as to take that
kind of help from a girl!"

"Why not?" Willa asked quickly. "You said yourself this afternoon that I
was one of the family, and, besides, you can pay me back, you know."

"I wonder if you really believe that I would!" he remarked wistfully.

"I know you _will_!" she retorted. "I'm putting up that money on a bet
with myself, and it's a sure thing. You'll make good, Vernon."

Mason North was comfortably ensconced in his own library, with a Life of
Disraeli and a malodorous pipe, when Willa burst in upon him.

"Mr. North, you told me to come to you if I was in any difficulty,
and--and I'm here!"

"Certainly, my dear!" He was plainly startled. "I shall be delighted to
be of any service that I can. What is it that you wish my advice on?"

"I don't want any advice! I want you to help me compound a felony."

"My dear Willa!" His rotund face paled. "Are you serious? You cannot
realize what you have said!"

"Oh, yes, I can!" she affirmed. "A friend of mine signed a check with a
name that wasn't given to him in baptism, and I want you to see that it
goes through all right, and nothing happens. I'll give you my own chec