instructions not to
admit him, but he pushed her aside and came directly to my room."

"You're right," said Bat Scanlon, glowering, "he _had_ a way with him.
It's a pity you hadn't a brother--or some one--all these years to take
care of you. His study of women would have done him little good if he
had had a man to meet."

"He wanted money," said Nora. "He was wheedling and threatening by
turns; he did everything he had ever done before, and more. I don't know
what gave me the resolution--perhaps it was the way he forced his
presence upon me--but anyhow, I refused him."

"He went away empty handed," said Scanlon, gleefully. "Good!"

"I gave him nothing," said Nora. "And I think he saw in my attitude what
the future was to be; for when he left me he wore a look I had never
seen upon his face before."

"Well," and the big trainer expelled a great breath, "it won't make much
difference now what he thought; he'll never bother you again."

"No," she repeated, "he'll never bother me again--never!" The beautiful
voice quavered and grew faint as she said this; and the hand was still
held tightly against her breast.

"What do you want me to do, Nora?" said the man. "A fellow who was
brought up outside, as I have been, is not much at comforting a woman."

"Bat," said the girl, and the hand left her breast and rested upon his
arm, "it has eased my heart just to hear you speak. You were always good
to me--always. But to-day you have given me courage--when I needed it so
badly." There was a little pause; she came closer to him, and now both
her hands were upon his arm, the two beautiful, capable hands, whose
whiteness had always amazed him; the faint perfume which always clung
about her was in his nostrils, and the brown eyes, so perfectly spaced,
so wonderfully colored, were opened wide and regarding him steadily.
"There are two things I want you to do, Bat," she said, "and they are
not at all difficult. You are acquainted in the detective department,
and I wish you would ask them not to bother me any more. If they do,"
and here he felt the two white hands flutter and heard her breath drawn
in sharply, "I shall break down with fright."

"I'll fix it," the man assured her. "Leave it to me."

"Thank you, Bat; you're the best creature in the world," she said
gratefully. "And, too, I want you to go to Stanwick. I would like you to
see what the police are doing--everything you can. They must have found
out something by this t