though eager for news of the chase, Barney started
on his evening's routine of visiting the gayer restaurants. Business is
business, and a man suffers when he neglects it. True, this was a neat
proposition which he had in hand; but that would soon be cleaned up, and
Businessman Barney desired to be all ready to move forward into further
enterprises.

In the meanwhile there had been a session between Maggie and the
Duchess. At about the time Barney had whispered his unlipped news to
Gavegan, Maggie, breathless with her frantic haste though she had made
the journey in a taxicab, entered the familiar room behind the pawnshop.

"Good-evening, Maggie." The voice was casual, indifferent, though
at that moment there was no person that the Duchess, pondering her
problems, more wished to see. "Sit down. What's the matter?"

"The police know Larry is in New York and are after him!"

"How do you know?"

Rapidly Maggie told of the happenings in her sitting-room, and of Barney
and Old Jimmie starting out to warn Gavegan. The Duchess heard every
word, but most of her faculties were concentrated upon a reexamination
of Maggie and upon those questions which had been troubling her all
evening and for these many days. Was there good in Maggie? Was she
justified in longer suppressing the truth of Maggie's parentage?

"Why are you telling me all this?" the Duchess asked, when Maggie had
finished her rapid recital.

"Why! Isn't it plain? I want you to get warning to Larry that the police
are after him!"

"Why not do it yourself?"

"I'm going out where he is to-morrow, but that may be too late."

Maggie gave her other reasons, such as they were. The old woman's eyes
never left Maggie's flushed face, and yet never showed any interest.

"I thought you were tied up with Barney and Old Jimmie," the Duchess
commented. "Why are you going against them in this, and trying to help
Larry?"

"What's the difference why I'm doing it," Maggie cried with feverish
impatience, "so long as I'm trying to help him out of this!"

"Don't you realize," continued the calm old voice, "that Larry must
already know, as a matter of course, that the police and all the old
crowd are after him?"

"Perhaps he does, and perhaps he doesn't. All the same, he should know
for certain! The big point is, will you get Larry word?"

A moment passed and the Duchess did not speak. In fact this time she had
not heard Maggie, so intent was she in trying to look th