d thwarted. Should she, or
should she not open the package? Possibly it contained some secret code,
some clue to the dastardly activities in which he and his uncle
were engaged.

But her heart rebelled. She recalled what he had said, that she must
take him on trust. The memory of his burning kiss, of that last earnest
look he had given her, refused to be forgotten. Whatever he was, however
base the work in which he was engaged, she knew down deep in her heart
that Frederic Hoff had been earnestly sincere when he had said that he
loved her.

As she debated with herself what she ought to do, the telephone rang
again. It was Chief Fleck.

"Can you meet me at the 110th Street subway station in half an hour?" he
asked. "I'll be waiting in my car. Arrange it, if you can without
arousing your family's suspicion, to be away all night."

"I will be there," she answered.

As she turned away from the telephone with sudden resolve she thrust the
sealed packet, still unopened, into the bosom of her gown.

"I promised him," she said almost fiercely. "I'll keep my promise. That
much at least I owe our love."

CHAPTER XIV

THE MOUNTAIN'S SECRET

In a turmoil of mental anxiety Jane waited the arrival of Chief Fleck at
the place he had designated. She was still badly wrought up by the scene
through which she had just passed with Frederic. There were moments when
her heart insisted that, regardless of the despicable crimes that were
laid at his door, she should forsake everything for him, for the man she
loved. Had there been in her mind the slightest possible doubt as to his
guilt she might indeed have wavered, but the evidence of his treachery
seemed too manifest! She loathed herself for caring for him and felt it
her sacred duty to go on with her work of aiding the government in
trying to entrap both of them; yet how could she ever do it?

As she waited she debated with herself whether or not to tell Chief
Fleck what had passed between herself and Frederic. After all, why
should she? That was her own secret, not the country's. If she stifled
her love, and gave her best efforts to aiding the other operatives in
running down the conspirators, what more could be expected of her?
Certainly she was not going to tell any one of the sealed packet
Frederic had entrusted to her. She had promised him she would keep it
safe. Surely there could be no harm in that, yet the little parcel,
still in the bosom of her gown where she had