t he managed to almost gasp:

"Are you on to that?"

"I am on to the whole scheme and just ready to close in. I tell you
there is nothing for you in it, and you're lucky."

"I am?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"You will make a good stake through me."

"What do you want?"

"I want to overhear every word that is spoken here to-night."

"You are dead on to it all?"

"I am."

"Good enough, I am with you, and you know that when I say so I mean what
I say."

"I do."

"You shall have the whole business if it's opened up here to-night.
Follow me."

CHAPTER IX

LUCK AND SKILL RUN OUR HERO INTO A GREAT "OPENING" ON TO THE BIG
ORGANIZATION, AND LIGHT STRIKES IN VERY DARK CORNERS.

It is not necessary to explain to our readers our hero's great hold on
the man Credo; but he knew his man well and knew that when Credo said,
"I am with you," the fellow did mean just what he said. Credo led our
hero to a rear room and once there he remarked:

"It's dead against me what I am doing. I had a big stake in this
enterprise."

"You haven't lost one, old man, the lines are drawn close."

"That's all right so far; but is it necessary that I tumble from
anything you may pick up to-night?"

"No, you are safe; you will not come into it."

The man's face was at once wreathed into a smile.

"I know you, Mr. Dunne."

"Yes, and I mean it. You will not in any way be involved."

"They need never know that I keeled 'em over?"

"Never."

"You know your business. When you talk you know what you say. I am
satisfied, and I am going to let you into a secret, Mr. Dunne. I can fix
you out just lovely. You will have the whole business, for the king-pin
is to be here to-night. You'll get the muggs of all the big men. If you
were ready to close in you couldn't have a better chance; for as I said
the king-pins will all be here to-night. But I don't see how I can run
clear of suspicion."

"I tell you that in no way will you be involved. I will open up from
another quarter. What I pick up here to-night is only side evidence.
I've got almost all I need."

"And you won't forget me?"

"No, sir."

"You know I've always been faithful."

"You have, and it's a good streak of luck that they covied right here in
your den."

"Yes, they have covied here for a long time."

"Are you into this affair?"

"Only partially. I am not one of them, but they have paid me well; never
asked me to go in."

"Then you can't locate anything?"

"O