"While abroad I learned there was a scheme on foot to involve me in
certain legal difficulties, and it might even cause my arrest in
order to get me to do certain things that would force the price of
the subway stock down, and so bankrupt many innocent persons. To
prevent this I determined to disappear, without even the knowledge
of my family. How I managed it I will tell you later. Matters were
going along all right until Retto, whose real name, you might as
well know, is Simonson, suddenly disappeared. I did not know what to
do, nor how matters, with which I had entrusted him, were
progressing. But it wasn't his fault. I wonder what happened to
him?"

Larry explained about Mr. Simonson's accident, of which Mr. Potter
was ignorant.

"When these men, my enemies, unexpectedly appeared to-day at the
house where I had been hiding ever since I disappeared, asked me to
appear in a New Jersey court, I had to go with them," went on Mr.
Potter. "It was in the nature of an arrest, and I did not dare
disobey. They wanted to take me before a Supreme Court Justice in
his home on the mountain and make me sign certain papers.

"But you came along in the nick of time. When you gave me that
message to the effect that the money was all right, I knew that the
affairs of the subway had been so arranged that the stock would not
go down and the widows and orphans would not suffer. I was willing
then to appear in court, as the schemes of the scoundrels, who had
practically kidnapped me, could amount to nothing. But it seems
they didn't wait to see what the outcome would be. I'm much obliged
to you, Larry."

"So am I," added Grace, with a smile.

"I'd do it all over again for the sake of getting such a good
story--and--er--of course, finding you and helping your daughter,"
Larry finished. "Now to telephone this in."

Mr. Emberg could hardly believe the news that Larry fairly shouted
over the wire.

"Found him, you say! Good for you, Larry. It'll be a great beat!
Wait a minute! I'll let Harvey take the story. Talk fast. Give us
enough for the first edition, and then, for the second, get the
whole story from Mr. Potter. This is a corker!"

What a scene there was in the _Leader_ office then! Mr. Newton
grabbed up paper and pencil and rushed to the telephone booth to
which Larry's wire had been switched so that the story could be
taken with fewer interruptions. Page after page of notes did Mr.
Newton scribble down, as Larry dictated