kamore must be particularly
expert."

After the detective had taken his departure, Anita Lawton descended
quickly to the office of the secretary.

"Emily," she asked, "is Loretta Murfree in, or Fifine Dechaussee?"

"I think they both are, Miss Lawton. Shall I ring for them?"

"Yes, please, Emily; send them to me one at a time, in the ante-room,
and let me know when Agnes Olson and Margaret Hefferman come in. I
wish to talk with all four of them, but separately."

Loretta Murfree was the first to put in an appearance. She was a
short, dumpy, black-haired girl of twenty, and she bounced into the
room with a flashing, wide-mouthed smile.

"How are you, dear Miss Lawton? We have missed you around here so much
lately, but of course we knew that you must be very much occupied--"

She stopped and a little embarrassed flush spread over her face.

"I have been, Loretta. Thank you so much for your kind note, and for
your share in the beautiful wreath you girls sent in memory of my dear
father."

"Sure, we're all of us your friends, Miss Lawton; why wouldn't we be,
after all you've done for us?"

"It is because I feel that, that I wanted to have a talk with you this
afternoon. Loretta, if a position were offered to you as filing clerk
in the office of a great financier of this city, at a suitable salary,
would you accept it, if you could be doing me a great personal service
at the same time?"

"Would I, Miss Lawton? Just try me! I'd take it for the experience
alone, without the salary, and jump at the chance, even if you
weren't concerned in it at all, but if it would be doing you a service
at the same time, I'm more than glad."

"Thank you, Loretta. The position will be with an associate of my
father's, I think, President Mallowe of the Street Railways. You must
attend faithfully to your duties, if I am able to obtain this place
for you, but I think the main part of your service to me will consist
of keeping your eyes open. To-morrow morning a man will come here and
interview you--a man in whom you must place implicit confidence and
trust, and whose directions you must follow to the letter. He will
tell you just what to do for me. This man is my friend; he is working
in my interests, and if you care for me you must not fail him."

"Indeed I won't, Miss Lawton! I'll do whatever he tells me.... You
said that I was to keep my eyes open. Does that mean that there is
something you wish me to find out for you?" she aske