th it only since this morning. Within a few days,
I have no doubt, I shall be able to place my hands upon the person or
persons responsible for the trouble, but I must insist that I be given a
free hand."

"But," Mr. Baker expostulated, "she may be in immediate danger. At any
moment something may happen that would ruin her beauty, and
incidentally, ruin us as well. She is our star attraction."

"I do not think the danger is immediate," Duvall replied gravely. "All
the threats so far received set thirty days as the period within which
the attack is to be made. Only three days have passed, so far. And in
addition, Miss Morton is being very carefully guarded."

"She certainly shall be while she is here at the studio," Mr. Baker
exclaimed. "But, man, something ought to be done--at once."

"The first thing to be done is to find out how that photograph got
here--who brought it--and when. It was not delivered by mail. Look
here." He handed the angry official the torn manilla envelope, which
Ruth, in her excitement, had dropped upon the floor.

Mr. Baker regarded it for a moment in angry silence, then pressed an
electric button upon his desk. A young woman responded.

"Send Jim here," he said. The girl nodded and withdrew.

A few moments later a freckled-faced boy of twelve or fourteen came in.
Duvall saw that it was the same boy who had brought in the photograph.

"You sent for me, sir?" he asked.

"Yes. Where did you get the package you delivered to Miss Morton a
little while ago?"

"From Mr. Curry, sir."

"Good." Mr. Baker rose and went toward the door. "Come with me," he said
to Duvall, "and you too, Jim." The three of them went along the
corridor, arriving presently at the main entrance to the building. An
elderly man sat at a high desk behind a wire grating.

"Curry," Mr. Baker burst out, "this boy tells me you gave him a package
for Miss Morton a while ago."

"Yes, sir."

"Where did you get it?"

The man looked up in surprise.

"Why, sir, someone left it here--on my desk. I don't know who, sir.
Right after lunch, it was. You know people deliver things here all the
time. I didn't take any particular notice how it got here. It was just
pushed through the window, I guess, same as usual. There was a lot of
mail in the rack, after lunch, and everybody asking for theirs as they
came in. In fact, I don't remember seeing the package handed in at all.
Just found it lying on my desk, along with a lot of letters