* * * *

Late that same night Dave Brainerd and I held one of our long, and, in
the past, ofttimes useless and mistaken, symposiums. But this time we
were in perfect accord. We had spread upon the table before us our old
memoranda from the very beginning of our campaign, and also some few
letters and other documents. It had been a long 'session,' according
to Dave, but the conclusion was so satisfactory that, at the last, we
had each lighted a cigar, and celebrated thus what we considered a
fully mapped out campaign at last.

'Well,' pronounced Dave, with a sigh of content, as he tipped back his
chair, and elevated his feet to the top of the table between us. 'This
looks like business! Let us see! First,' checking off on his fingers,
'we're to keep away from Midway--all but Billy--so that they may not
make another flitting, eh?'

'Yes,' I assented.

'And we're to patrol Stony Island Avenue and the surrounding country
by day and by night, with a full force. Ain't that it?'

'Perfectly. Dave, you are as full of repetitions as an old woman!'

'Or a young one,' he retorted; 'and you think it is proved that the
brunette's a man, do you?'

'It was proved, for me, long ago.'

'And that letter? I can't see why it should not be launched at once.'

I had written to Mr. Trent, telling him of certain facts and theories,
and among them was the suggestion that we should cause a copy of the
'Roe' letter, with its proposed barter, to be published in the morning
papers, giving him my reasons at length, and requesting his opinion
before taking what might prove a very decisive if not aggressive step.
Dave was delighted with this idea, and, wearied with our 'masterly
inactivity,' he would, as he put it, 'launch the thing at once.' My
reasons, as explained to both Dave and Mr. Trent, were:

The letter signed 'Roe,' and offering to liberate young Trent, and at
the same time to defraud the comrades of the 'clique,' if genuine,
would, when published, expose the writer, who would then be obliged to
'leave the clique,' as he had expressed it, and with an additional
'reason' for so doing; this would at least lessen their numbers, and
perhaps force them to take into their confidence some new colleague.
Or, possibly, it would result in a quarrel among themselves, which
also might result in some way in our favour.

On the other hand, if it were a scheme of the clique, it would seem
that at least they were tired of