ber that a
revolver staring one in the eye is a potent persuader.

Miss Wallace was the first to speak.

"You know now why I think him a dreadful man," she said, taking a deep
breath of relief.

"Just a moment," I excused myself, and ran into the outer office.

Our office Cerberus was sitting at the gate of entry reading the
enthralling story of "Hal Hiccup, the Boy Demon." From my pocket I
fished one of the few dollars it held.

"Jimmie, follow that man who has just gone out. Find out where he goes
and whom he meets. If he stops anywhere keep a note of the place."

The eyes of Young America grew big and round with astonishment, then
lit with ecstatic delight. He was going to be a real detective.

"The boss?" He jerked a dirty thumb in the direction of the chief clerk.

"I'll make it right with him. Hurry!"

"You bet I'll keep a peeper on him," he bragged, reaching for his hat.

He was gone.

I returned to my client.

"Excuse me. I wanted to put a spy on your cousin. If he takes the map to
a safe-deposit vault we ought to know where. And that reminds me----
What was it you gave him? I thought the map was on my table here?"

"I gave him a copy of it, one my father took years ago."

"But had it a corner torn off just like this one?"

From her hand-bag she drew a scrap of paper. "I was tearing it off just
before I took it out."

My admiration was genuine enough.

"You're a cool hand, Miss Wallace. My hat is off to you."

The color deepened slightly in her cheeks. "That was nothing. I just
happened to think of it."

"You saved the day, anyhow. He stands only an equal chance with us."

"But he doesn't. My father purposely made an error in the details in
case the map happened to fall into the wrong hands. And the latitude and
longitude aren't marked."

I could have shouted my delight.

"But he has heard the diary read," she added. "In that the right
latitude was given. If he happens to remember----"

"A hundred to one he doesn't, and even at the worst he's no better off
than we are."

"Except that he has money and can finance an expedition in search of the
treasure."

I came to earth as promptly as Darius Green.

"By Jove! that's true."

For the humiliating fact was that I had not a hundred dollars with which
to bless myself, having just lost my small inheritance in a wildcat
mining venture.

"I suppose it would take a lot of money?" she said timidly.

"Where is the treasure hidden?"

"