in----"

"Well?" demanded Mern when Latisan paused.

"That's her real name, is it? I know how detectives----"

"It's her real name," stated Mern, of a mind to protect her until he was
convinced that she did not deserve protection by him.

"She works for you?"

"She does."

"Could I see her for a few minutes--for a few words----"

"I don't think so," hedged the chief. "Just why do you want to see Miss
Jones?"

"I've been thinking matters over. I did a terrible thing when I was sort
of out of my mind. She had something to say to me and I didn't wait to
hear it. Perhaps I have made a mistake. Now I'd like to talk with her
and find out about something."

"Just what?" probed Mern.

"I can't say right now. It's between us two, Miss Jones and myself--at
least I thought it was. I'm going to have a talk with her before I tell
anything to anybody else." He declared that stubbornly.

"How do I know what your scheme is? You're probably holding a grudge
against one of my operatives. I can't turn her over to you to be
harmed."

Latisan straightened. "I shall not harm her by a word or a touch."

"I suppose you hold a grudge against this agency, don't you?"

"The Comas company--Craig, rather--hired you to do a thing, and it has
been done. Craig is the one with a grudge; it's against me. I trigged
him. I reckon he has a right to get even, as he looks at it, if his
money can buy what you have to sell."

"We don't like to do some of the things that are put up to us, Latisan.
But I may as well be out and open with you. Craig paid us a lot of money
when we broke the strike for him. We have to consider business. That's
why we went ahead and got you, as we did. If you had been able to turn
around and get us, I would not have held any hard feelings. It's all in
the game." There was no especial sympathy in Mern's tone; he was
treating a victim with a patronizing air.

"I'm afraid I'm not up to tricks enough to play that game," retorted
Latisan. "We'll have to let it stand as it is. I'm sort of trying to
clear up my mind about the whole matter, so as to put it behind me. I
don't want to feel that there's any mistake about Miss Jones. That's why
I'd like to see her once more."

He was showing nervous anxiety.

It came to Mern that here was offered an opportunity to go even farther
with Latisan than the contract had demanded. Now that the man had been
pulled off the drive, a little shrewd maneuvering would hold him in New