advise you to make no mention of it to anyone
else; let these men believe you to be utterly within their power
financially. And now, Miss Lawton, I will leave you, for I have work
to do." The detective rose. "The private wire will be installed
to-morrow morning. Remember to be absolutely unsuspicious, to appear
deeply grateful for the kindness offered you; receive these men
and your spiritual adviser whenever they call, and above all, keep me
informed of everything that occurs, no matter how insignificant or
irrelevant it may seem to you to be. Keep me advised on even the
smallest details--anything, everything concerning you and them."

Thus it was, that when two days later, President Mallowe of the
Street Railways, called upon his new ward, she received him with
downcast eyes, and a charmingly deferential manner. His long-nosed,
heavy-jowled face, with the bristling gray side-whiskers, flushed
darkly when she placed her trembling little hand in his and shyly
voiced her gratitude for his great kindness to her.

"My dear young lady, this has been a most sad and unfortunate affair,
but I have come to assure you again of the sentiments of myself and my
associates toward you. We come, your self-appointed guardians; we will
see that no financial worriments shall come to you. Remember, my dear,
that I have three married daughters of my own, and I could not permit
the child of my old friend to want for anything. You may remain on
here in this house, which has been your home, indefinitely, and it
will be maintained for you in the manner to which you have always been
accustomed."

"Remain here in my home?" Anita stammered. "Why it--it is my home,
isn't it?"

"You must consider it as such. I do not like to tell you this, but it
is necessary that you should know. I hold a mortgage of eighty
thousand dollars on the house, but I have never recorded it, because
of my friendship and close affiliation with your father. I shall not
have it recorded now, of course, but there is a slight condition,
purely a matter of business, which in view of the fact that through
your coming marriage you will have a home of your own, Mr. Rockamore,
Mr. Carlis and myself, feel that we should agree upon. Your father has
a shadowy interest in some old bonds which have for years been
unremunerative. Should they prove of ultimate value, we feel that they
should be transferred to us as our reimbursement for the present large
sum which we shall lay out f