but she'd do it for me."

Beverley was gone for fifteen minutes. When she flew in again she was
surprised to see Clo in bed as before. But hardly was the door closed
when the girl threw back the coverlet, to show that she was fully
dressed.

"I was afraid Sister might pop in--by an evil chance," she explained.
"I've only to put on my hat. Well, is it all right?"

"Roger will go," said Beverley. "He's 'phoning now for his car. I'm
putting off dinner till half-past eight so he can have plenty of time to
get home and change. He didn't make any difficulty when I told him about
the pearl-stringer and wanting her at once. He agreed with me that it
would be best to do such an errand himself, if it were to be done. And
he was very kind. But his manner was different. I'm frightened."

"Don't be," said Clo. She was up now, had pinned on the pretty white
hat, and was fastening her smart little cape. "I'll go first to the
Westmorland and see our man; he said he'd be in, waiting till ten. I'll
tell him things are in train, but he must give you till midnight, if
necessary. From there perhaps I can 'phone the Dietz Hotel. It wouldn't
be safe here. By that time O'Reilly ought to be in his room dressing for
dinner. He'll see me, I'm sure, and the rest will arrange itself. Now,
I'm off before Mr. Sands' automobile comes, or Sister Lake. If she finds
the door shut and all quiet she'll think I'm asleep. Go back to your
husband, Angel, and I'll slip away on my little jaunt."

"I've brought money for you," said Beverley. "Take this purse. There's
change for taxis and lots of bills besides--fifty or sixty dollars."

Two minutes later Clo was in the street. The first thing that happened
to her was a small piece of luck. She had been dreading the walk to a
taxi-stand, when she saw a car about to drive away from a house near by.
It was a public vehicle. Clo hailed the chauffeur and gave the
Westmorland as her destination.

"Mr. Peterson" was in, according to promise.

"You again, is it? I looked for Mrs. Sands," he grumbled.

"I'm her messenger for the second time," said Clo, "and probably I shall
be for the third, when it comes to settling up. If you get what you
want, it doesn't matter who brings it, I suppose?"

"Then you suppose wrong. My business is with a woman, not a kid! All the
same, if you've got anything for me----"

"I haven't--yet!" Clo snapped him up. "It isn't time. But I'm on to
where the thing is, and how to get it.