as you can while
I make arrangements with this Old Meg."

Balcom stepped into his own car, while Paul hailed a taxicab, and a few
minutes later Balcom alighted before the house of Old Meg. He walked
down the alley and descended into the den.

As before, Meg was in hiding in a dark corner until she could ascertain
just who her visitor might be. Seeing Balcom, she came out and
courtesied and scraped as she had for Paul.

Balcom announced the object of his visit immediately, and while he was
speaking he fingered a roll of bills which he had taken from his pocket
the better to arouse the old hag's avariciousness.

It had the desired effect and her eyes fairly gleamed with the craving
of possession.

"Do as I tell you, Meg," directed Balcom, "and I'll make you rich. Do
you understand? Rich!" he emphasized, rolling out the last word silkily
on his tongue.

Old Meg's last scruples, had she ever had even one, fell before this
temptation and she became almost the slave of Balcom.

Balcom now gave a command and the old hag sidled to the door of an inner
room.

"Jimmy! Jimmy!" she called. "Come here to me."

In a moment a boy slunk into the room. He was sharp-faced, pinched for
food, and in tatters, as disreputable-looking as the hag herself. Meg
whispered something to him, and, as though galvanized by an electric
current, the boy shot up-stairs. He was soon back again with two
brutal-looking men who looked suspiciously at Balcom and then shuffled
into a corner, where they conferred eagerly with Old Meg.

At first it was plain to be seen that they were refusing to do her
bidding, but Meg made a movement as though she were counting money.
After that it was equally plain that they agreed.

Meg sidled over to Balcom and he unwrapped a few bills of large
denomination and handed them to her. She immediately hid them in her
dress, with many a furtive look toward her accomplices.

Balcom's eyes followed those of the old hag, and, realizing that his
whole conspiracy might fail unless the men were assured of further
reward on the completion of their task, he approached them smoothly.

"Of course," he insinuated, "you understand that if you three follow
instructions to the letter I'll double that amount." Then he left the
place, brushing his coat with his handkerchief as he did so. "Brent
Rock," he said to his chauffeur, curtly, as he stepped into his car.

CHAPTER XVIII

Eva and Locke were seated at a long table i