or a woman to keep a
secret. She may love you to distraction, but confide a secret to her and
she is never satisfied till she divulges it." Maroney eagerly listened
to all White had to say, and then replied: "White, depend upon it, you
are the right man for me! If you will only figure for me as well as you
have done for yourself, you will have me out of jail in a very short
time."

"What do you want me to undertake?"

"The first thing is to carry out the plan you proposed the other day--of
placing the money on Chase's person. I will make the blow more telling
by getting you to have a key made similar to the pouch-key, and putting
it into his pocket at the same time. I have a fine drawing of the key
and you can easily have it made. I know Chase is the guilty party, and
this move will exonerate me and bring the proper person to justice. I
am sorry for Chase, but he can't expect me to suffer for his crime. I
will furnish you the necessary money to put into his pocket, and give
you a letter to Gus. McGibony, who will arrest Chase at the proper
moment."

"That's easily arranged," said White, "and McGibony need not know any
thing about the dodge. I shall need him only to make the arrest at the
moment when the girl gives me the wink. The worst of the thing is, we
shall be compelled to have a woman in the case any way; but I am
acquainted with a splendid looking girl here, who may, perhaps, keep her
mouth shut. I will send her to Montgomery, get her into the Exchange
Hotel, and she will soon manage to draw Chase into her room. When he
goes in I will get McGibony and have him arrested and searched as soon
as he gets to his own room."

"Capital! capital!!" said Maroney, jumping up and walking across the
hall, rubbing his hands with glee. "White, if you succeed in this I will
pay you well for it."

"What kind of money was it the company lost?" asked White.

"Oh! of course I don't know; I never saw it!" quickly answered Maroney,
at the same time looking into White's face with an expression in his eye
which showed that he wished to read his inmost thoughts. White took no
notice of this look, but went on with apparent unconcern. "Well, one of
the first things we must do is to find out what kind of money was stolen
from the Express Company, procure bills of the same kind, and when they
are found on Chase, he is gone, and his conviction is certain."

"Yes! yes!" muttered Maroney, as the thought flashed through his mind,
"can h