ells me there
was no leak, and I cannot understand. They do singular things, these
Americanos."

Willa returned to her home in a more despondent mood even than before,
and a telephone call from Dan late in the evening did not tend to raise
her spirits.

"I've canvassed every hospital and institootion in the five boroughs!"
he announced. "I even tried the morgue, but there ain't hide nor hair
of the old lady. Looks like the earth might have opened and swallowed
her up. I take it you don't want me to report her missing at
headquarters, do you?"

"Only as the very last resort," Willa responded. "We must avoid
publicity if we can, although of course if she is ill or in any danger
I shall have to let every other consideration go."

"You leave it to me, Miss!" The familiar slogan came as cheerfully as
ever over the wire. "I don't think the old lady's in bad, wherever she
is. Nobody'd dare do anything to her, would they? It ain't a
rough-house gang that's after her, from what you told me."

"No, Dan. I am not afraid of any violence to her at their hands. They
will only worry and annoy her."

"Well, the chances are, if she just wandered off and lost herself, that
somebody's taken her in. I'm doin' fine, so far. I had a grand talk
with the dame over in Brooklyn to-day, and she never once got on to me."

His tone was filled with such honest pride that Willa was loath to
disturb it, yet she could not forbear I remarking:

"I did, though, Dan, when she told me what had been done to the
plumbing! What did you find out from her?"

"Everything she knew and a lot that she threw in for good measure. I
didn't have to start her; she was just aching to tell the whole story;
how they came to her and all! If them other people get on to the
house, she'll spill the beans to them sure, Miss. She don't own that
house; she only rents it, and the next time I go I'll have an order
from the agent to put in weatherstrips or clean the chimneys and
grates. I want a talk with the lad as soon as he is well enough. I'll
report to you, Miss, just as quick as anything turns up."

Willa gave him some final instructions and hung up the receiver, to
find Angie at her elbow.

"You've been an unconscionable time!" the latter complained, veiling
her eyes to conceal their gleam of awakened curiosity and interest.
"We're waiting for you to make up a rubber. Who was that message from?
Any of the crowd?"

"No," Willa replied direct