the brightest women that ever entered the profession; she is a born
detective. What is the job?"

"There is a gang at work--the worst ever known. They are Italians, but
they have a contingent of American and English rogues working with them.
They are the most dangerous operators that ever organized for the
coining of base money. They are located all over the United States. They
have regular passwords. Indeed, their organization is perfect, and with
them are a number of desperate assassins, and a few beautiful women. I
can't go into all the details, but the government has appropriated a
large sum from the secret service fund. We must run down and break up
this dangerous gang."

"You have the case in hand?"

"I am directing the hunt. I have twenty of my best men on the case, and
I have trailed down to the fact that all the movements are directed from
New York. The chief men are located here, and never in the history of
criminal doings was such a dangerous lot at work."

"What points have you?"

"The only point I have is the fact that the leaders are located here in
New York."

"In what line are they working?"

"They are counterfeiting in all its branches, they are bank robbing and
burglarizing private houses. Indeed every sort of criminal appears to be
in the organization. It is not even confined to the United States. They
are sending base American money to Mexico and Cuba. The president of the
Mexican republic has sent a large sum here to aid in their capture. The
merchants of Havana have also sent on a fund."

"And you have no clues as to the identity of these people?"

"We have captured several of the gang, but that does not interrupt the
work. It's the leaders we want, and if you can get in and trail them
down it will be the biggest feather you ever wore in your cap. But let
me tell you, it's a dangerous job. Several of our men have mysteriously
vanished. Two we know were assassinated; the others have been done away
with. My reputation is at stake. Thus far I have been baffled."

"And what do you want me to do?"

"Shadow down and locate the leaders."

"Can you give me a hint where to look for them? That is, can you give me
any starter at all?"

"I cannot. You may find them mingling in the best society in New York;
you may find them in the slums under cover. One thing is certain: they
are the shrewdest rascals that ever defied the whole detective force of
the United States, and I have great hopes that