hand.

"You will force me," she said, "to treat you like thieves. I know that
you are not, but I shall treat you as though you were if you don't leave
this room. Don't think that this is a toy either," she continued.
"Revolver shooting was one of our favourite recreations up in the
country. Will you get up from that desk, Mr. Weiss?"

He stooped down and tried one of the keys from his bunch. Virginia did
not hesitate. She pulled the trigger of her revolver, and a bullet
whistled only a few inches from his head. He sprang upright in a minute.

"Damn the girl!" he said. "Higgins, take that thing away from her."

But Virginia was standing with her back to the wall, and Higgins, after
one look into her face, shook his head.

"Don't be a fool, Weiss," he said. "This sort of thing won't do. You've
lost your head. Beg Miss Longworth's pardon and come away. She is quite
right. There is no excuse for our behaving like this."

Weiss hesitated for a moment, looked into Virginia's face himself, and
with a shrug of the shoulders admitted defeat. The two men moved
toward the door.

"I am going to call now upon your uncle's physician," Weiss said. "I am
going to tell him that whatever the risk to your uncle may be, we must
have an interview with him."

"As you please," Virginia answered. "That has nothing to do with me."

They left the room and closed the door behind them. Virginia, breathing
a little quickly, crossed the room and tried the desk, but it was still
fast locked. She looked down at the carpet and found it undisturbed.
Then she stood up, and started violently. The inner door leading into
the secretaries' room was open, and her uncle was standing there upon
the threshold. He smiled at her benevolently.

"I congratulate you, Virginia," he said. "You have routed two of the
worst scoundrels in New York. Now please help me to get upstairs again
without being seen."

CHAPTER IX

CONSPIRATORS

The great automobile swung out of the park into the avenue, and Stella
drew a little sigh of regret.

"Mine is the next turning," she said. "Thank you so much, Mr. Littleson.
I have enjoyed every minute of it."

Littleson smiled, but he did not slacken speed.

"I was very fortunate indeed to meet you," he said, "but I shall not
think of letting you go until you have had some lunch. It is nearly
one o'clock."

Stella settled down again in her seat.

"That is very kind of you," she said. "I had an idea that you w