ut conjecture--no evidence at all."

"What is your present belief concerning these conjectures?"

"I have since discovered that my conjectures were all mistakes."

"That will do, Mr. Stone!"

Blake turned quickly upon Katherine. "Well, now what have you got to
say?" he demanded.

She could have laughed in her joy.

"First of all," she called to the withdrawing detective, "I have this
to say to you, Mr. Stone. When you sold out to these people, I hope
you made them pay you well."

The detective flushed, but he had no chance to reply.

"This is no time for levity, Miss West!" Blake said sharply. "Now you
see your predicament. Now you see what sort of testimony your libel is
built upon."

"But my libel is not built upon that testimony."

"Not built----" He now first observed that Katherine was smiling.
"What do you mean?"

"Just what I said. That my story is not based on Mr. Stone's
testimony."

There were exclamations from Mr. Brown and Blind Charlie.

"Eh--what?" said Blake. "But you hired Stone as a detective?"

"And he was eminently successful in carrying out the purpose for which
I hired him. That purpose was to be watched, and bought off, by you."

Blake sank back and stared at her.

"Then your story is based----"

"Partly on the testimony of Doctor Sherman," she said.

Blake came slowly up to his feet.

"Doctor Sherman?" he breathed.

"Yes, of Doctor Sherman."

Blind Charlie moved quickly forward.

"What's that?" he cried.

"It's not true!" burst from Blake's lips. "Doctor Sherman is in
Canada!"

"When I saw him two hours ago he was at his wife's bedside."

"It's not true!" Blake huskily repeated.

"And I might add, Mr. Blake," Katherine pursued, "that he made a full
statement of everything--everything!--and that he gave me a signed
confession."

Blake stared at her blankly. A sickly pallor was creeping over his
face.

Katherine stood up.

"And I might furthermore add, gentlemen," she went on, now also
addressing Blind Charlie, "that I know all about the water-works deal,
and the secret agreement among you."

"Hold on! You're going too far!" the old politician cried savagely.
"You've got no evidence against me!"

"I could hardly help having it, since I was present at your
proceedings."

"You?"

"Personally and by proxy. I am the agent of Mr. Seymour of New York.
Mr. Hartsell here, otherwise Mr. Manning, has represented me, and has
turned over to me the agreement you sig