rned to New York,
passing himself off as the man who went away. No, he won't tell all
that, will he? But I will. Did you bring the money? Let me see it."

The talking suddenly ceased, and was followed by a deep silence.
Steell, staggered at this unexpected revelation, almost stumbled in his
eagerness to hear more. Turning to his companion, he exclaimed in a
horror-stricken whisper:

"My God! Did you hear that? It's even worse than I feared. They've
done away with Kenneth. That man at the house is an impostor!"

"An impostor?" ejaculated Dick. "Impossible. Don't we all know
Kenneth when we see him?"

"Nothing's impossible!" rejoined the lawyer hurriedly. "Kenneth had a
twin brother--the resemblance was so extraordinary as children that no
one knew them apart. The brother disappeared years ago. They thought
him dead. Kenneth must have come across him in South Africa. This
brother killed him and took his place. It's all clear to me now.
We're in a den of assassins!"

Inside the conversation began again.

"Hush! Listen!" whispered Steell.

The voice of Keralio was once more raised in angry tones.

"Didn't I tell you that I wanted the child brought here at once?"

"_Oui_, monsieur, but I could not. I had ze rest of ze money to get
rid of and ze suitcase to carry. I will bring her in a taxi to-morrow."

"Where is she?"

"Safe in the care of the woman who runs my boarding house."

"When did you bring her from Philadelphia?"

"Yesterday afternoon."

"Did you have any trouble?"

"_Non_, monsieur. I didn't even have to go to ze house, although I had
a plausible story all ready. I was going to say that Mrs. Traynor had
sent me to fetch Miss Dorothy because her mother wanted her home for ze
coming marriage of Miss Ray. But it wasn't necessary to lie about it.
I found ze child playing in ze street near the house. I merely told
her her mamma wanted her to come home, gave her some candy, and she
followed me willingly enough."

"By this time the alarm has been given."

"_Sans doute_, monsieur. They probably telegraphed Mrs. Traynor last
night that ze child was missing----"

The voices again stopped. Steell, his face white, and fists clenched,
turned to his companion:

"Good Heavens, Dick, did you hear that? They've kidnapped Mrs.
Traynor's little girl--no doubt, with the idea of demanding ransom.
Thank God, we're in time to frustrate that crime----"

"Hush!" exclaimed his companion.