"You have a special policeman still in the house, haven't you, Mrs.
Dexter?"

"Yes. He's there, now, watching over Myra."

"Well, at the worst," pursued Dick, "hire a second man and put him on
guard nights outside the house, and you'll never hear from
Dexter--except by mail, anyway. But how does the man expect you to send
him word about the money? Did he give you any address?"

"He told me to put an advertisement, worded in a certain way, in the
morning 'Blade.'"

"And--pardon me--you've been up and inserted the advertisement?"
questioned Dick.

"Ye-es."

"And have arranged to get the money?"

"Yes; I've seen Mr. Dodge at the bank."

"When are you to meet Dexter!"

"When he sees my advertisement in the 'Blade' to-morrow he'll send me
word where to meet him."

"You ought to send a detective, instead," blazed Dave Darrin.

"If I did, Dexter would wait his time and then destroy my child and
myself," answered the woman, her under-lip quivering.

"You don't really believe that, do you?" asked Dave.

"No; I know it."

"You haven't been to see a lawyer, have you?" inquired Prescott.

"No; I don't dare that, for a lawyer would advise, as you did, sending a
detective to keep the appointment, and then Mr. Dexter would be put in
prison. I don't want Myra to grow up with the shame of having a father
in prison. I--I am glad that Dexter jumped his bail on the other little
charge."

"I see just this much about it, Mrs. Dexter," followed Dick. "But--you
don't mind my speaking, do you?"

"No; I like to hear you, for you boys have already saved me some
heartaches."

"What I was going to say, Mrs. Dexter, is that, no matter how much money
you give that man, he'll always keep bothering you as long as you have
any left. A man who won't work can't be very brave, and a man who
doesn't work can spend an awful lot of money. If you surrender to Dexter
I'm sure you'll have to keep on giving in just as long as you have any
money left."

"Then you think I ought not to give him the money, and that I ought to
hire another good man to guard the house outside?"

"Yes; if you 're really afraid. It'll be cheaper to hire another man
than to give all your fortune away."

"But I've put the advertisement in the 'Blade.'"

"There's time enough to take it out."

"I--I believe I'll do that," murmured Mrs. Dexter. Talking with the boys
had given her a new little rise in courage.

"That's what I'd do if it were my case," added