arm and never
sold it--right in the heart of what is now the busy section of town. I
can't think of anything very bad that I've done, and still less any
good that will amount to anything after I die. I'm going to spend some
of what I don't need toward helping the work of cleaning out this evil."

The inspector grunted.

"Well, young man, if you spend it toward letting people know just how
bad conditions are, and not covering the truth up or not trying to
reform humanity by concealing the ugly things, you may do a lot. But
don't be a _reformer_."

"What can be done with this woman Blanche?" asked Van Nostrand meekly.

"She'll be put where she won't have to worry about telephone calls and
card indexes. Every one of these girls should be locked up, and given
a good strong hint to get a job. It won't do much good. But, we've
got this much of their records, and will be able to drive some of them
out of the trade. When every big city keeps on driving them out, and
the smaller cities do the same, they'll find that it's easier to give
up silk dresses forever and get other work than to starve to death.
But you can't get every city in the country doing this until the men
and women of influence, the mothers and fathers are so worked up over
the rottenness of it all that they want to house-clean their own
surroundings."

"One thing that should be done in New York and other towns is to put
the name of the owner of every building on a little tablet by the door.
If that was done here in New York," said the inspector, "you'd be
surprised to see how much real estate would be sold by church vestries,
charitable organizations, bankers, old families, and other people who
get big profits from the high rent that a questionable tenant is
willing to pay."

"Madame Blanche, and these poor specimens of manhood with her are
guilty of trafficking in girls for sale in different states. These
Swedes were to be sent to Minnesota, and her records show that she has
been supplying the Crib, in New Orleans, and what's left of the Barbary
Coast in Chicago. Why, she has sent six girls to the Beverly Club in
Chicago during the last month."

"Where does she get them all?" asked Burke. "I've been trailing some
of these gangsters, but they certainly can't supply them all, like
this."

The detective shook his head, and spoke slowly.

"There are about three big clearing houses of vice in New York, and
they are run by men of genius, wealth a