so basic
that no one can fight you on them. The Gresham Company has offered me,
as your attorney, fifty thousand dollars as an advance royalty, and a
contract for your salary as superintendent for their manufacture. We
can get even more. It may interest you to know that your friend on the
police force won't have to worry about a raise in salary. I have been
working on his case with a lawyer in Decatur, Illinois. His uncle is
willing to make a payment of twenty-four thousand dollars to prevent
being prosecuted for misappropriation of funds on that estate. I will
see you...."

Barton dropped the letter to his lap.

"Now, how does that news strike you?"

"I can't believe it real," gasped Burke, rubbing his forehead. "But I
am more glad for you than for myself. You will have an immense
fortune, won't you?"

Smiling into the faces of the two radiant girls, Old Barton drew Lorna
to his side and, reaching forward, tugged at the hand of Mary.

"In my two dear girls, safe and happy, I have a greater wealth for my
old age than the National City Bank could pay me, Burke. Lorna has
told me of her experience and her escape when all escape seemed
hopeless. She has learned that the sensual pleasures of one side of
New York's glittering life are dross and death. In the books and silly
plays she has read and seen it was pictured as being all song and
jollity. Now she knows how sordid and bitter is the draught which can
only end, like all poison, in one thing. God bless you, my boy, and
you, my girls!"

Bobbie shook the old man's hand, and then remembered the unpleasant
duty still before him.

"We must get down town as soon as possible," syd he. "Come, won't you
go with us, Mary?"

The two girls put on their hats and together they traveled to the
distant police station as rapidly as possible. It was a bitter ordeal
for Lorna, whose strength was nearly exhausted. The welts on her
shoulders from Shepard's whip brought the tears to her eyes. As they
reached the station house the girl became faint. The matron and Mary
had to chafe her hands and apply other homely remedies to keep her up
for the task of identifying the woman who had been captured.

"Now, Burke," began Sawyer, "I have been saving Trubus for a surprise.
He has been locked up in my private office, and still doesn't know
exactly how we have caught him. I've broken the letter of the rules by
forbidding him to telephone anyone until you came. I gue