s conversation took
place. All of the other guests, feeling that the members of the family
would prefer to be left alone following the startling occurrences of
the evening, had withdrawn to their rooms. Helen was about to bid her
friend good-night when her remark regarding Mr. Stanlock's happy
personal faculties opened the discussion as here recorded. She
hesitated a few moments before answering the last inquiry; then she
said:

"Don't you think that those men intended to kidnap your father? What
other explanation can you find for their actions?"

"I hadn't tried to figure out their motive," Marion replied
thoughtfully. "Father called it a hold-up and I took his word for it."

"But he had no money with him, did he?"

"No, I think not. He seldom carries much money."

"And it is hardly reasonable to suppose that this plot between the
chauffeur and the two highwaymen was for the purpose of murder. They
would have gone about it in some other way. This one leaves too many
traces behind."

"Yes," Marion admitted.

"Well, the only reasonable conclusion you can reach with the robbery
and murder motives out of the way, is that the plotters wished to take
your father prisoner and hold him some place until they got what they
wanted."

"But what did they want?" asked the bewildered Marion.

"That's for your father to suspect and the police to find out," said
Helen shrewdly. "Personally, I haven't a doubt that the strike has
everything to do with it."

"What makes you think so?"

"The threatening letter that you received at the Institute. Show that
to your father tonight and suggest that he turn it over to the
police."

"I will," Marion promised. "In this new excitement I forgot all about
it. I didn't even show it to mother. Just as soon as papa finishes his
dinner, I'm going to show that letter to him. I'll go upstairs now and
get it. You wait here and be present when we talk it over, Helen.
You're so good at offering suggestions that maybe with you present we
can all work out some kind of solution of what has been going on."

Marion hastened up to her room and returned presently with both of the
anonymous letters she had received in Westmoreland. A few minutes
later her father and mother both entered the library with the evident
purpose in mind of holding a lengthy conference on the problems
growing out of Mr. Stanlock's business troubles.

"Papa, do you think those men tried to kidnap you?" Marion inquired by