, however, extremely
uneasy. For it was plain enough that Puma had been involved in
dealings sufficiently suspicious to warrant Government surveillance.

All Skidder's money and real estate were now invested in Super-Pictures.
No wonder he was anxious. No wonder Puma, also, seemed worried.

For, whatever he might have done in the past of a shady nature, now he
had become prosperous and financially respectable and, if let alone,
would doubtless continue to make a great deal of money for Skidder as
well as for himself. And Skidder, profoundly troubled, wondered
whether his partner had ever been guiltily involved in German
propaganda, and had escaped Government detection only to fall a
victim, in his dawning prosperity, to blackmailing associates of
earlier days.

"That mutt Sondheim looks like a bad one to me, and the other
guy--Kastner," he observed gloomily.

"It is better that we should not offend them."

"Just as you say, brother."

"I say it. Yes. We shall be wise to turn to them a pleasing face."

"Sure. The best thing to do for a while is to stall along," nodded
Skidder, "--but always be ready for a chance to hand it to them.
That's safest; wait till we get the goods on them. Then slam it to 'em
plenty!"

"If they annoy me too much," purred Puma, displaying every dazzling
tooth, "it may not be so agreeable for them. I am bad man to
crowd.... Meanwhile----"

"Sure; we'll stall along, Angy!"

They opened the glass door and went out into the studio. And Puma
began again on his favourite theme, the acquiring of Broadway property
and the erection of a cinema theatre. And Skidder, with his limited
imagination of a cross-roads storekeeper, listened cautiously, yet
always conscious of agreeable thrills whenever the subject was
mentioned.

And, although he knew that capital was shy and that conditions were
not favourable, his thoughts always reverted to a man he might be
willing to go into such a scheme with--the president of the Shadow
Hill Trust Company, Alonzo Pawling.

* * * * *

At that very moment, too, it chanced that Mr. Pawling's business had
brought him to New York--in fact, his business was partly with Palla
Dumont, and they were now lunching together at the Ritz.

Alonzo Pawling stood well over six feet. He still had all his
hair--which was dyed black--and also an inky pair of old-fashioned
side whiskers. For the beauty of his remaining features less c