d "Private."

Grace nodded: then, confidently approaching the officer, asked if the
Chief of Police were in. For answer the officer simply motioned with one
hand toward the half-open door and went on with his writing.

Chief of Police Ellis glanced up in surprise to see two strange young
women standing in the door of his private office.

"Are you the Chief of Police, and may we come into your office for a
moment?" questioned Grace politely.

"Come in, by all means," responded the chief heartily. He was a kindly,
middle-age man, whose voice and manner invited confidence. "What can I
do for you, young ladies?"

Grace turned to Kathleen, who at once poured forth the story of the
appearance of "Larry, the Locksmith" in Overton, of his recognition and
of how he had been traced to his hiding place.

At first Chief Ellis had looked incredulous over Kathleen's strange
statement.

"How can you be sure he is the man if you have never seen him?" he asked
shrewdly. "We can't afford to arrest the wrong man, you know."

Kathleen looked appealingly at Grace.

"You have a daughter in the freshman class, haven't you, Chief!" asked
Grace, coming to the newspaper girl's rescue.

"Yes," smiled the chief. "I thought you were Overton girls."

"I am Miss Harlowe of the senior class. This is Miss West, a sophomore.
You would not wish your daughter's name to be used in police court news,
would you?"

Chief Ellis made an emphatic gesture of negation. "No!" he answered.

"Then I am sure you will keep secret what I am about to tell you." Grace
then explained the situation, beginning with the theft of the class
money in Oakdale and ending with her trailing of the thief to his hiding
place.

"Well, I declare!" exclaimed the chief. "This is a most remarkable
story. However, I am willing to proceed on the strength of it. I'll have
three men on the way to capture 'Larry' within the next fifteen minutes.
You young ladies had better go home. You can call me on the telephone
every half hour until the men come in. I'll keep you posted. If they get
him at once, you can get word to your paper to-night," he assured
Kathleen. "You must be a pretty smart girl to be going to college and
holding a newspaper job at the same time."

Instead of going to Wayne Hall to await word from the chief, the two
girls first made arrangements with the telegraph operator at the depot
office to wire the story. Kathleen also sent a telegram to her paper.
Then th