butting in on our affairs! We'll have to do some
quick work----"

Wiley laughed again.

"No fear of trouble from Thode. I beat him to it and spiked his guns
at the same time. He's given it up as a bad job; that's why he tackled
the Consuegra. Wait till we pull off the big noise and he'll be
welcome to all the jitney gushers below the border."

"When we do," Harrington Chase observed with emphasis. "We'll have to
get hold of the old dame first."

"We'll land her." Wiley smote his desk. "There isn't a woman living,
young or old, who can cut the ground out from under my feet!"

But a distinct shock awaited him when he entered the club that evening,
in the attitude of his erstwhile ally, Vernon Halstead. He had
difficulty in locating the young man at first; a survey of his usual
haunts, the bar and card-rooms, failed to disclose him, but Wiley ran
him to earth finally in the library, deep in a bulky and
serious-looking volume.

"Improving your mind?" he sneered.

Vernon raised his eyes serenely.

"Never too late to learn, is it?" he observed. "I've found out a lot
in the last day or two."

"You mean--?" Wiley dropped into a chair beside him. "Any new
developments? Did she go out alone to-day?"

"My cousin?" Vernon closed his book, and rose. "I haven't the least
idea, I assure you. I ran out to Mineola myself, with an aviator chap
I know."

He had paused, looking down at his interrogator, and at the expression
in his eyes the latter half rose also, then sank back.

"And just what am I to infer?" Wiley spoke through set teeth.

"Anything you like, my dear fellow. Help yourself."

"Ah! You're going to renege, are you? You're prepared to take the
consequences?"

"You've guessed it." Vernon nodded. "I'm off the dirty work, Starr.
You'll have to do your own sleuthing in future."

"You realize what it means? I've never bluffed in my life, Vernon, and
I'll push this thing to the limit!"

"Go as far as you like." Vernon waved his hand airily. Then his
expression hardened. "But whatever happens, leave my cousin out of
your future plans. Do you understand? Play your game with men if you
like, but leave the women of my family alone."

"Indeed?" This time Wiley rose, and the two looked levelly into each
other's eyes. "When you go up for forgery you won't be in a position
to interfere with any game I choose to play. I've told you this was a
straight business proposition, Vernon, ther