ed syndicate that ever was formed has got control of the lives of,
it may be, thousands of drug-slaves!"

Kerry's teeth closed with a sharp snap.

"At last," he said, "I see where the smart from the Home office comes
in."

"The Secretary of State has appointed a special independent commissioner
to inquire into this hellish traffic," replied Margaret quietly. "I
am glad to say that I have helped in getting this done by the
representations which I have made to my uncle, Lord Wrexborough. But I
give you my word, Inspector Kerry, that I have withheld nothing from you
any more than from him."

"Him!" snapped Kerry, eyes fiercely ablaze.

"From the Home Office representative--before whom I have already given
evidence."

Chief Inspector Kerry took up his hat, cane and overall from the chair
upon which he had placed them and, his face a savage red mask, bowed
with a fine courtesy. He burned to learn particulars; he disdained to
obtain them from a woman.

"Good morning, Miss Halley," he said. "I am greatly indebted to you."

He walked stiffly from the room and out of the flat without waiting for
a servant to open the door.

PART SECOND--MRS. SIN

CHAPTER XII. THE MAID OF THE MASQUE

The past life of Mrs. Monte Irvin, in which at this time three distinct
groups of investigators became interested--namely, those of Whitehall,
Scotland Yard, and Fleet Street--was of a character to have horrified
the prudish, but to have excited the compassion of the wise.

Daughter of a struggling suburban solicitor, Rita Esden, at the age of
seventeen, from a delicate and rather commonplace child began to develop
into a singularly pretty girl of an elusive and fascinating type of
beauty, almost ethereal in her dainty coloring, and possessed of large
and remarkably fine eyes, together with a wealth of copper-red hair, a
crown which seemed too heavy for her slender neck to support. Her father
viewed her increasing charms and ever-growing list of admirers with the
gloomy apprehension of a disappointed man who had come to look upon each
gift of the gods as a new sorrow cunningly disguised. Her mother, on the
contrary, fanned the girl's natural vanity and ambition with a success
which rarely attended the enterprises of this foolish old woman, and
Rita proving to be endowed with a moderately good voice, a stage career
was determined upon without reference to the contrary wishes of Mr.
Esden.

Following the usual brief "training