ing him to disgorge my share
of his income, which you would not get in any event. I don't know how
much of an allowance he makes you, but----"

"I don't get any allowance," said Alora, "In fact, he gives me
nothing."

"Then my demands on your father will not affect your interests. Are you
willing to give me his address, and promise not to warn him?"

"Under the circumstances, yes."

"Very well. I accept your plighted word--your word of honor. Now sign
this paper and you may go."

She took the paper from the table and handed it to Alora, who read as
follows:

"For value received, in services faithfully rendered and which I hereby
freely and without coercion acknowledge, I hereby promise and agree to
pay to Janet Orme Jones on the day that I attain my majority the sum of
Fifty Thousand Dollars, which sum is to be paid from my estate without
recourse, equivocation or attempt to repudiate the said obligation,
inasmuch as I willingly admit the said sum to be justly due the said
Janet Orme Jones.
"(Signed:)................."

Alora read the paper twice, with, growing indignation. Then she glanced
up at her jailer and muttered questioningly: "Jones? Janet Orme
_Jones?"_

"A family name, my dear. The Joneses are so thick and so unimportant
that generally I do not use the name, but this is a legal document. I
hope you won't try to claim relationship," she added with a light
laugh.

"I'm not going to promise you so enormous a sum as fifty thousand
dollars, even to secure my liberty," said Alora. "It's out of all
reason--it's--it's--outrageous!"

"Very well," returned Janet, coolly; "that's your own affair. This is
merely a compromise proposition, suggested by yourself, as I told you.
Let us say no more about it."

Alora was greatly disheartened. After allowing her hopes to run so high
the disappointment was now doubly keen. Her defiance melted away with
the thought of all the weary days of imprisonment she must endure until
Janet was ready to act.

"I--I might agree to give you _five_ thousand dollars," she ventured.

"Nonsense. I'm not gunning for small game, Alora. Did you but realize
it, I am quite considerate in exacting only fifty thousand. Your estate
is worth two millions. Your income is something like eighty thousand a
year, and this payment would leave you thirty thousand to use the first
year after you come into your fortune. I don't believe you could spend
thirty thousand in a year, when you are eigh