ity.

"This," repeated de Spain more than once, and somewhat testily, "is
Henry de Spain speaking."

"I'd like to have a little talk with you, Mr. de Spain."

"Go ahead."

"I don't mean over the telephone. Could you make it convenient to come
down-town somewhere, say to Tenison's, any time this evening?"

The thought of a possible ambuscade deterred the listener less than
the thought of leaving Nan, from whom he was unwilling to separate
himself for a moment. Likewise, the possibility of an attempt to
kidnap her in his absence was not overlooked. On the other hand, if
the message came from Duke and bore some suggestion of a compromise in
the situation, de Spain was unwilling to lose it. With these
considerations turning in his mind, he answered the man brusquely:
"Who are you?"

The vein of sharpness in the question met with no deviation from the
slow, even tone of the voice at the other end of the wire. "I am not
in position to give you my name," came the answer, "at least, not over
the wire."

A vague impression suddenly crossed de Spain's mind that somewhere he
had heard the voice before. "I can't come down-town to-night,"
returned de Spain abruptly. "If you'll come to my office to-morrow
morning at nine, I'll talk with you."

A pause preceded the answer. "It wouldn't hardly do for me to come to
your office in daylight. But if it would, I couldn't do it to-morrow,
because I shan't be in town in the morning."

"Where are you talking from now?"

"I'm at Tenison's place."

"Hang you," said de Spain instantly, "I know you now." But he said the
words to himself, not aloud.

"Do you suppose I could come up to where you are to-night for a few
minutes' talk?" continued the man coolly.

"Not unless you have something very important."

"What I have is more important to you than to me."

De Spain took an instant to decide. "All right," he said impatiently;
"come along. Only--" he paused to let the word sink in, "--if this is
a game you're springing----"

"I'm springing no game," returned the man evenly.

"You're liable to be one of the men hurt."

"That's fair enough."

"Come along, then."

"Mr. Jeffries's place is west of the court-house?"

"Directly west. Now, I'll tell you just how to get here. Do you
hear?"

"I'm listening."

"Leave Main Street at Rancherio Street. Follow Rancherio north four
blocks, turn west into Grant Avenue. Mr. Jeffries's house is on the
corner."

"I'll find it."

"