you must wind like a
clock. Here I will wind it myself to have all in readiness."

He rolled his chair swiftly to his work table, and turned the little
crank, continuing his plan of attack.

"Now, take the long wire, and run it through the door of the private
office up close to the desk. Attach this disc to the dictagraph
receiver. It is so small, and the wiring so fine that it will not be
noticed if it is done correctly. Here, Burke. I will do it now to
this loose dictagraph receiver. Watch me."

The old man worked swiftly.

Burke scrutinized each move, and nodded in understanding.

"Be careful to cover the wire along the floor with a rug--he must never
be allowed to see that, you know. After you have all this prepared,
Mary, you must start the mechanism going, and then get the reproduction
of the conversation as it comes on the dictagraph."

"All right, father--but how shall we get it there without Mr. Trubus
knowing about it? He is very watchful of that room."

Barton patted Bobbie's broad shoulder, with a confident smile.

"I think Officer 4434 can devise a way for that. He has had harder
tasks and won out. Now, hurry down with the machine. It is a bit
heavy. You had better take it in a taxicab. You will spend all your
money on taxicabs, my boy, I am afraid."

"Well, sir, a little money now isn't important enough to worry about if
it means happiness for the future--for us all."

Mary's face reddened, and she dropped her eyes. There was an
understanding between the three which needed no words for explanation.
So it is that the sweetest love creeps into its final nestling place.

"God bless you, my boy. I'm an old man and none too good, but I shall
pray for your success."

"Good bye," said Bobbie, as he and Mary left with the mechanism.

Bobbie stopped the taxicab which carried them half a block east of the
office building which was their goal.

"Mary, I will take this machine up on the floor above Trubus' office,
and hide it in the hall. Then you go to your place in the office and I
will manage a way to draw Mr. Trubus out in a hurry. We will work
together after that, and spread the electric trap for him."

Mary went direct to the office, where she found Trubus storming about
angrily.

"What do you mean by staying nearly two hours out at luncheon time?" he
cried. "I am very busy and I want you to be here on duty regularly,
even if my wife did foolishly intercede in your behalf, y