inty and much desire.

"Well, what can I do?" he repeated. "I'm not here after six. The
janitor runs this elevator from six to twelve."

"There isn't a room vacant anywhere near this one, is there?" Kennedy
asked, speculatively.

The factotum thought. "Yes, there is. One just across the hall."

"What time does she come here as a rule?"

"I don't know anything about nights. In the day she sometimes comes
mornings, sometimes in the afternoon."

"Anybody with her?"

"Sometimes a man, sometimes a girl or two. I haven't really paid much
attention to her, to tell you the truth."

Kennedy walked away whistling.

From this day on Mr. Kennedy became a watcher over this very
unconventional atmosphere. He was in and out, principally observing
the comings and goings of Mr. Gurney. He found what he naturally
suspected, that Mr. Gurney and Stephanie spent hours here at peculiar
times--after a company of friends had jollified, for instance, and all
had left, including Gurney, when the latter would quietly return, with
Stephanie sometimes, if she had left with the others, alone if she had
remained behind. The visits were of varying duration, and Kennedy, to
be absolutely accurate, kept days, dates, the duration of the hours,
which he left noted in a sealed envelope for Cowperwood in the morning.
Cowperwood was enraged, but so great was his interest in Stephanie that
he was not prepared to act. He wanted to see to what extent her
duplicity would go.

The novelty of this atmosphere and its effect on him was astonishing.
Although his mind was vigorously employed during the day, nevertheless
his thoughts kept returning constantly. Where was she? What was she
doing? The bland way in which she could lie reminded him of himself.
To think that she should prefer any one else to him, especially at this
time when he was shining as a great constructive factor in the city,
was too much. It smacked of age, his ultimate displacement by youth.
It cut and hurt.

One morning, after a peculiarly exasperating night of thought
concerning her, he said to young Kennedy: "I have a suggestion for you.
I wish you would get this elevator man you are working with down there
to get you a duplicate key to this studio, and see if there is a bolt
on the inside. Let me know when you do. Bring me the key. The next
time she is there of an evening with Mr. Gurney step out and telephone
me."

The climax came one night several weeks after thi