s in vain that he sought for any cogent reason for the
reappearance of the unknown dark-eyed beauty.

There was no veiled suggestion in her wistful eyes, no lure of the
fisher of men in the restrained mien of the lovely unknown. He
paced his room for half an hour, until the arrival of Ferris brought
about an active discussion of all their personal and business affairs
which lasted until the coupe arrived to bear them to the station.

In the long examination of their mutual interests, Clayton had strangely
forgotten to even mention the name of Miss Alice Worthington, for
he was still keenly aware of the gradual fading away of the ties
of friendly family intimacy which had once bound him to the Detroit
household.

Moreover, loyal to his chum as he was, he could not forget how
often, in the past two years, he had seen letters lying on Ferris'
table, bearing the superscription of the woman who had been graduated
by Fate from that dangerous rank of "Little Sister."

Before Ferris finally turned over his keys, the cool lawyer laid
his hand gravely on Clayton's shoulder.

"Randall, my boy!" he said. "It's only fair to you to tell you that
the Fidelity Company makes private reports to Hugh Worthington upon
the inner life of all the bonded employees. Some of these documents
have always been forwarded through me. Evidently there have been
some new directions given on this matter.

"Worthington is a man who forgets nothing. You will be left alone.
You know your dangerous trust. Be always on your guard!

"For, even though born in its whirl, there are dangers in New York
which are sealed books to me, even now; and, you are a stranger
here, after all.

"Take care of yourself! Be watchful! There will be many jealous
eyes spying upon your every movement, and strange eyes at that."

They entered the carriage in a constrained silence, in the early
nightfall, and were soon whirled away toward the Forty-second Street
Depot. Some overhanging shadow seemed to dampen the ardor of that
friendly farewell, when the gliding train bore the lawyer away from
his friend's sight.

At that very instant the office boy, Einstein, darted out of the
great depot's main entrance and mingled with the passers by. "Now
for Fritz Braun," he chuckled. "She has caught on at last! He
followed her to the 'Bavaria.' The lawyer is gone for good! The
field is clear. There's a twenty now in sight, and many a twenty
to follow."

CHAPTER II.

TID