nd Bessie was hardly
surprised to find that it was Brack who was leering at her.

"He's right. I know something about them," he said. "There's precious
little old Brack don't know, my dear--an' that's a fact you can bet your
last dollar on."

He chuckled, and made a movement as if he intended to take Bessie's
hand, but she brushed his claw-like hand away with a motion of disgust.

"I haven't got time to be talking to you now," she said, decisively. "If
you know anything you think I ought to be told, tell it to Mr.
Jamieson."

"Oh, ho, tell it to him, eh!" he said. "Maybe you'd better be careful,
girl! Maybe you wouldn't like everyone to know why your parents had to
run away and leave you in such a hurry. Maybe they're in prison, and
deserve to be. How'd you like to have people hear that, eh!"

"I wouldn't like it, but I don't believe it's true!" said Bessie,
scornfully. "Not for a minute!" And she pressed on, but Brack followed
and walked close beside her.

"Remember this--you'll never see them again, except through me," he
said, malevolently.

CHAPTER VII

OFF TO THE FARM

The next morning Bessie was doomed to be disappointed. She had looked
forward confidently to seeing Zara's father, and had come to believe
that there was a good chance for her to clear away some of the mystery
that hung so heavily over Zara's affairs, even though she made no great
progress toward straightening out her own confused ideas regarding
herself and the reason for the disappearance of her parents. But,
instead of the telephone call to Jamieson's office, for which she had
waited with poorly concealed impatience from breakfast until nearly
noon, she had a visit from Jamieson himself. The lawyer looked
discouraged.

"Bad news, Bessie," he said, as soon as he saw her. She was waiting for
him on the porch, and her eyes lighted with eagerness as soon as she saw
him coming. "They've stolen a march on me."

"Why, how do you mean? Won't I be able to see Zara's father, after all?"

"Not just yet. Brack is cleverer than I thought. He's got a lot of
political pull, and he got hold of a judge I thought was above stooping
to anything wrong. So he was able to get this judge to sign an order
putting him in my place as lawyer for Zara's father. The only way you
can see the prisoner now is for Brack to give you permission, and if
I know Brack, that's the last thing he'll do."

Bessie showed her discouragement.

"I'm afraid you're ri