him. With her, he realized, only direct relations were possible.

"How much of a journey is it?" he ventured to ask.

"Not very long. I intend to be mysterious about it." She smiled brightly.
Her face had lighted up wonderfully since he gave her the paper that
contained the secret of the bill.

But he knew that she must be tired; so he said: "Can't you send me alone
on this errand? It may be late before it is done, and----"

"And I will not sit and rest while you do all the work. Besides, I cannot
forego the excitement of the chase."

He was selfishly glad in her answer. "Do we walk?" he asked.

"We will go in the motor," she said.

"Where is it?"

"I left it around the corner. The thought came to me that Mr. Poritol
might be here, and I didn't wish him to recognize it."

Orme thought of the hard quest the girl had followed that day--battling
for her father's interests. What kind of a man could that father be to
let his daughter thus go into difficulties alone? But she had said that
her father was unable to leave the house. Probably he did not know how
serious the adventure might be. Or was the loss of the papers so
desperate that even a daughter must run risks?

Together they went out to the street. Orme caught a dubious glance from
the clerk, as they passed through the lobby, and he resented it. Surely
anyone could see----

The girl led the way around the corner into a side street. There stood
the car. He helped her in and without a word saw that she was restfully
and comfortably placed in the seat next to the chauffeur's. She did not
resist the implication of his mastery.

He cranked up, leaped to the seat beside her, and took the levers. "Which
way, Girl?" he asked.

"North," she answered.

The big car swung out in the Lake Shore Drive and turned in the direction
of Lincoln Park.

CHAPTER V

"EVANS, S. R."

The car ran silently through the Park and out on the broad Sheridan Road.
Orme put on as much speed as was safe in a district where there were so
many police. From time to time the girl indicated the direction with a
word or two. She seemed to be using the opportunity to rest, for her
attitude was relaxed.

The hour was about eleven, and the streets were as yet by no means
deserted. As they swung along Orme was pleased by the transition from the
ugliness of central Chicago to the beauty of suburbs--doubly beautiful by
night. The great highway followed the lake, and occasionally, ab