th me as he would with a
girl in a dining room; but I was getting along all right till Crowley
butted in." She turned spitefully on that monopolizer and meddler. "And
now don't stand there and say again that you claim the credit. I'll slap
your face!"

Miss Elsham lied so strenuously that she was convincing.

Crowley, trying hard to tell the truth for once, stammered and stumbled
over the amazing details of the lovemaking between Latisan and Miss
Kennard. The chief found the really veracious recital beyond belief.

"She wouldn't offer to marry him, standing there in public," stormed
Mern. "I know Kennard. She isn't that sort. I'll go to the bottom of
this thing, even if it means a trip for me to that God-forsaken tank
town. I'd give a thousand dollars to see Lida Kennard walk in through
that door. I was never so worried about anything in all my life," he
lamented. "Crowley, you deserted the most valuable person I have ever
had in my office--and God knows what has happened to her." He sent them
away.

"What does it get anybody to tell the truth?" grumbled Crowley.

"Nothing, when it sounds so ridiculous as the truth in this case,"
averred Miss Elsham. "Everybody seems to go crazy up in the tall
timbers. Give me the tall buildings for mine after this."

In high good humor Rufus Craig appeared to Mern that afternoon a little
before three o'clock. He sat down, pulled out the slide leaf of Mern's
desk, and produced a check book. "No need my seeing Exhibit A before
settling. Tell me the expense account. I'll include everything in one
check."

With pen poised, waiting until the figures were brought in, the Comas
man expressed his satisfaction. "There were three on the job, so I was
told in Adonia when I came through. That's all right, Mern. I expected
you to use your own judgment. I didn't have much time in Adonia--grabbed
what information I could while waiting for the train to start--but it's
a sure bet that Latisan is off for good. From what I heard it was your
Miss Jones who really put it over--gave Latisan what they call up there
the Big Laugh. Now who the blazes is this Miss Jones?"

"An operative of ours," the chief replied, with repression of enthusiasm
decidedly in contrast with Craig's indorsement of her. Mern did not dare
to be other than vague, leaving Lida Kennard's identity concealed until
he could understand something about the inside affairs in his agency.
The reflection that he was still in the dark--c