ook me into custody as they did you?"

"Well, they didn't do me any harm, really."

"I am not so sure--the second time----"

"They wouldn't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs," said Evan
grimly.

Deaves saw nothing humorous in the illustration.

"Have you shown the letter to Mrs. Deaves?" asked Evan.

Deaves shook his head. "I suppose they will be writing to her next,"
he moaned.

"Your father?"

"What's the use?" Deaves struck his forehead. "My position is
becoming unbearable!" he cried.

"I'm sorry for you," Evan said, thinking: "If you only had a little
more backbone!"

Deaves arose lugubriously. "After all there is nothing for me to do
but to ignore this letter," he said. "I suppose you do not feel
inclined to help me any further in the matter."

"On the contrary, I'll be glad to," said Evan quickly. "But on my own
terms. I have my own score to settle with this gang."

Deaves looked heartened. "Then if I hear from them again what is your
telephone number?"

"There is no telephone in this house."

"But I may send to you?"

"By all means."

"--Er--would you mind coming down-stairs with me?" said Deaves. "The
halls are so dark. And this letter has made me wretchedly nervous."

Evan went with him, concealing his smile.

In the lower hall Deaves said: "Of course I shall not venture out on
foot after this. I shall always use the car." A new and dreadful
thought struck him. "But then in a car one offers such a conspicuous
mark to a bullet!"

"You needn't fear bullets," said Evan. "A dead man can't pay
blackmail."

Deaves seemed to take little comfort from this. "What do you think
about my chauffeur?" he asked anxiously. "Take a look at him. Does he
look honest?"

Evan glanced through the narrow pane beside the door. "There's nothing
remarkable about him," he said. "He looks like--like a chauffeur. How
can one tell from a man's looks what he's thinking about?"

"Suppose they were to bribe him, and he drove me off to their lair?"
stuttered Deaves. "I--I think I'd better stay home altogether
hereafter."

But he was back again at nine o'clock that night in a still greater
state of agitation. "Father has not come home!" he cried. "Where is
he?"

"How should I know?" said Evan.

"But you accompanied him on all his walks! You know his haunts!"

"His haunts!" exclaimed Evan. "His haunts comprised the whole five
boroughs of Greater New York with occasional excurs