and made
sure that all were shut, then he took a seat in a chair near that which
Griggs occupied by the desk, so that the three were close together, and
could speak softly.

English Eddie wasted no time in getting to the point.

"Now, look here," he said, rapidly. "I've got the greatest game in the
world.... Two years ago, a set of Gothic tapestries, worth three hundred
thousand dollars and a set of Fragonard panels, worth nearly as much
more, were plucked from a chateau in France and smuggled into this
country."

"I have never heard of that," Mary said, with some interest.

"No," Griggs replied. "You naturally wouldn't, for the simple reason
that it's been kept on the dead quiet."

"Are them things really worth that much?" Garson exclaimed.

"Sometimes more," Mary answered. "Morgan has a set of Gothic tapestries
worth half a million dollars."

Garson uttered an ejaculation of disgust.

"He pays half a million dollars for a set of rugs!" There was a note of
fiercest bitterness come into his voice as he sarcastically concluded:
"And they wonder at crime!"

Griggs went on with his account.

"About a month ago, the things I was telling you of were hung in the
library of a millionaire in this city." He hitched his chair a little
closer to the desk, and leaned forward, lowering his voice almost to a
whisper as he stated his plan.

"Let's go after them. They were smuggled, mind you, and no matter what
happens, he can't squeal. What do you say?"

Garson shot a piercing glance at Mary.

"It's up to her," he said. Griggs regarded Mary eagerly, as she sat with
eyes downcast. Then, after a little interval had elapsed in silence, he
spoke interrogatively:

"Well?"

Mary shook her head decisively. "It's out of our line," she declared.

Griggs would have argued the matter. "I don't see any easier way to get
half a million," he said aggressively.

Mary, however, was unimpressed.

"If it were fifty millions, it would make no difference. It's against
the law."

"Oh, I know all that, of course," Griggs returned impatiently. "But if
you can----"

Mary interrupted him in a tone of finality.

"My friends and I never do anything that's illegal! Thank you for
coming to us, Mr. Griggs, but we can't go in, and there's an end of the
matter."

"But wait a minute," English Eddie expostulated, "you see this chap,
Gilder, is----"

Mary's manner changed from indifference to sudden keen interest.

"Gilder?" she excla