dulity in accepting without question the
unsubstantiated assertion of her father's insolvency. They did not
take into account the possibility that their henchman, Paddington,
might fail, or turn traitor; that Mac Alarney might talk to save his
own hide; that Jimmy Brunell's forgeries might be traced to their
source; that the books in the office of the Recorder of Deeds might
divulge interesting items to those sufficiently concerned to delve
into the files of past years! You discharged your clerk on the
flimsiest of excuses, Mr. Mallowe--but you did not discharge her quite
soon enough. Rockamore's stenographer, and the switchboard operator in
Carlis' office,--who, like your filing clerk, came from Miss Lawton's
club,--were also dismissed too late. As I have said, my cards are on
the table now. Are you prepared to play yours?"

For answer, Mallowe turned slowly to Anita, his face a study of pained
surprise and indignation.

"My dear girl, I do not understand one word of what this person is
saying, but he is either mad, or intoxicated with his success in
locating Ramon, to the extent that he is endeavoring to build up a
fictitious case on a maze of lies. Any notoriety will bring him
welcome publicity, and that is all he is looking for. I shall take
immediate steps to have his incomprehensible and dangerous allegation
suppressed. Such a man is a menace to the community! In the meantime,
I must beg of you to dismiss him at once. Do not listen to him, do not
allow him to influence you! You are only an impulsive, credulous girl,
and he is using you as a mere tool for his own ends. I cannot imagine
how you happened to fall into his clutches."

Anita faced him, straight and slim and tall, and her soft eyes seemed
fairly to burn into his.

"I am not so credulous as you think, Mr. Mallowe. I never for a moment
believed your assertion that my father died a pauper, and I took
immediate steps to disprove it. Doctor Franklin was your tool, when he
came to me with your message, but not I! And I shouldn't advise you to
try, at this late date, to 'suppress' Mr. Blaine. Many other
malefactors have attempted it, I understand, in the past, but I never
heard of any of them meeting with conspicuous success. You and my
other two self-appointed guardians must have been desperate indeed to
have risked trying to hoodwink me with so ridiculous and vague a story
as that of the loss of my father's fortune!"

"This is too much!" Mallowe stormed