gh.

"Mr. Gamble?" repeated the girl, wondering at the sudden sweetness and
suspicious of it. "Oh, Mr. Gamble has gone over to the office of
Mallard back in a few minutes. He's in and out a great deal, but he
seldom stays out of the office long at a time."

"Thank you," said Constance hastily, reflecting that there was a public
telephone booth in the drug store on the corner, so she need not
inquire the address of Mallard & Tyne.

Mr. Gamble, Mr. Courtney, and Mr. Washer were in Mr. Mallard's private
office, with that acutely earnest real estate gentleman, when a boy
came in to advise Mr. Gamble that he was wanted on the telephone.
Johnny Gamble had never heard the voice of Constance over a thin wire,
but he recognized it in an instant; and he hitched his chair six inches
closer to the instrument. He gave her a fool greeting, which he tried
to remember afterward so that he could be confused about it; but
Constance wasted no time in preliminaries.

"Have you any property which could be attached?" she wanted to know.

"Just at the present minute I have," he admitted. "I shall have a
nominal title in a big building plot, for a day or two--or until the
necessary papers can be signed."

"You mustn't wait!" she hastily ordered him. "You must get rid of it
right this minute."

"I'll burn it up if you don't like it," he heartily promised her.
"What's the matter with it?"

"It isn't safe for you to have it an instant. I've wasted so much time
trying to find Polly or Loring, so that they could warn you, that I
haven't time to explain. Just get rid of it immediately--can't you?"

"I can do anything you say," he earnestly informed her, hitching his
chair closer. There was only an inch left, but he took that. "You'll
explain to me to-night what all this is about, won't you?"

"You may come, but you mustn't ask questions."

"I'll be there as soon as I'm through here," he promptly informed her.

"Not so early," she protested, panic-stricken, "I have a caller just
now. You must hurry, Mr. Gamble."

"Yes, I will," and he tried to hitch his chair closer. "You're
telephoning from the house, then?"

"No-o-o-o!" and he thought he detected a stifled snicker. "I left him
with Aunt Pattie and slipped out for a minute."

Him! Him, eh? And she had slipped out to telephone her friend, Johnny,
the bit of hot information!

He covered the transmitter with his hand to turn aside and smile. This
was a pleasant world after all!

"