t Obermuller stopped him.

"You'd win only half your bet, my Lady," Obermuller said softly. "She
did get hold of the Gray rose, worth fifty thousand dollars, in spite
of all your precautions--"

The world seemed to fall away from me. I looked up at him. I couldn't
believe he'd go back on me.

"--And she brought it straight to me, as I had asked her to, and
promised to raise her salary if she'd win out. For I knew that unless
I proved to you it could be stolen, you'd never agree to hire a
detective to watch those things, which will get us all into trouble
some day. Here! Scoot out o' this. It's nearly time for your number."

He passed the diamond over to her, and they all left the office.

So did I; but he held out his hand as I passed. "It goes--that about a
raise for you, Olden. Now earn it."

Isn't he white, Mag--white clean through, that big fellow Obermuller?

VI.

I got into the train, Mag, the happiest girl in all the country. I'd a
big basket of things for Tom. I was got up in my Sunday best, for I
wanted to make a hit with some fellow with a key up there, who'd make
things soft and easy for my Tommy.

I had so much to tell him. I knew just how I'd take off every member
of the company to amuse him. I had memorized every joke I'd heard
since I'd got behind the curtain--not very hard for me; things always
had a way of sticking in my mind. I knew the newest songs in town, and
the choruses of all the old ones. I could show him the latest tricks
with cards--I'd got those at first hand from Professor Haughwout. You
know how great Tom is on tricks. I could explain the disappearing woman
mystery, and the mirror cabinet. I knew the clog dance that Dewitt and
Daniels do. I had pictures of the trained seals, the great elephant
act, Mademoiselle Picotte doing her great tight-rope dance, and the
Brothers Borodini in their pyramid tumbling.

Yes, it was a whole vaudeville show, with refreshments between the
acts, that I was taking up to Tom Dorgan. I don't care much for a lot
of that truck--funny, isn't it, how you get to turn up your nose at the
things you'd have given a finger for once upon a time? But Tom--oh,
I'd got everything pat for him--my big, handsome Tom Dorgan in
stripes--with his curls all shaved off--ugh!

I'd got just so far in my thoughts, sitting there in the train, when I
gave a shiver. I thought for a minute it was at the idea of my Tom
with one of those bare, round convic