irs and came to the door. He
stood, a silent spectator, watching with unmoved face the procession as
it passed up to the floor above.

"I want your key," said Stafford, and humbly the Portuguese handed it to
him.

Stafford opened the door and snapped on the light.

"Bring him in," he said to the detective who held Pinto. "What room is
this?"

"My dining-room," said Pinto faintly.

Stafford entered the room, turning on the light as he did so.

"Hullo, Pinto," he said.

Pinto could only look.

The table was littered with copper-plates and ink rollers. There was a
thick pad of counterfeit money on one corner of the table, held down by
a paper weight; little bottles of acids were scattered about, and near
the table was a small lever press, so small that a man might carry it in
a corner of his handbag.

"I think I have got you, Pinto," said Stafford King, and Pinto Silva
nodded before he fell limply into the arms of his captor.

* * * * *

Maisie White had gone to bed early and the bell rang three times before
she awoke. She slipped into a dressing-gown, and, going to the window,
leaned out. She looked down upon the upturned face of a girl and in
spite of the distance and the darkness of the night, recognised her. The
man who stood in the background, however, she could not for the moment
place. Nevertheless, she did not hesitate to go downstairs.

"Is that Miss White?" asked the girl.

"Yes. It is Lollie Marsh, isn't it? Won't you come in?"

Lollie was hesitant.

"Yes," she said after awhile and they went upstairs together. "I'm very
sorry I disturbed you, Miss White, but it is a matter which can't very
well wait. You know that Mr. Stafford King has been kind to me?"

Maisie nodded. She was looking at the girl with interest and was
surprised to note how pretty she was. She could not forget what Lollie
Marsh had done for her that dreadful night at the nursing home, and if
the truth be told, she had inspired the assistance which Stafford had
been giving the girl.

"Mr. King has booked my passage to America, as you probably know,"
Lollie went on, "but at the last moment I have been obliged to change my
plans."

"I'm sorry to hear that," said the girl. "I was hoping that you'd get
away before----"

"I am hoping to get away before," Lollie smiled faintly. "But you see,
one has to be very quick, because things are moving at such a rapid
rate. They arrested Pinto to-night--we