e use. Conscious
of her presence, his rage grew till it shot forth in words. Not stinting
oaths, he whirled on her after a moment and asked where the securities
were. "_You_ meant to have them; you know where the ready money is. Show
me, show me at once or----"

Then a great anguish passed across her face, a look of farewell to
hopes sweet and dearly cherished. If he saw it he did not heed. All his
evil, indomitable will shone in the eye he turned up askance at her, and
though she held the means of killing him in her hand, she bowed to that
will, and leaning over him, she whispered in his ear:

"It was not paper I meant to have, but--but something else--I----"

She stopped, for breath was leaving her. His slim, assured hand was
straying toward a certain knob hidden partly from sight, but plain to
the touch if his fingers crept that way.

"Listen!" She was gasping now, but her hand laid on his shoulder
emphasized her words. "There are jewels at the other end; Mrs.
Stoughton's bridal jewels. They are worth thousands. I--I--meant to take
those. They are in a compartment under that lower drawer. Yes,
yes--there they are; take them and be gone. I--I have lost--but you will
give me back my father? See! there are not many minutes left. Oh, be
merciful and----"

CHAPTER XVII

"_Now for my part of the bargain_"

He was looking at the jewels, appraising them, making sure they were
real and marketable. She was looking at them, too, with a wild longing
and a bitter disappointment, which he, turning at that moment to mark
her looks, saw and rated at its full value.

"Well, I guess they'll do," he exclaimed, pausing in his task of
thrusting the gems in his pocket to hand her a bracelet ornamented with
one small diamond. "But I expected more from all this fuss and feathers.
Was it to guard these----"

"Yes," she murmured, thrusting the bracelet into the neck of her dress
and stepping quickly back. "They are priceless to the owner.
Associations you know. Mrs. Stoughton is dead--There! that will do. Now
for my part of the bargain," and bethinking her at last of the pistol,
she raised it and pointed it full in his face. "You will close that door
now and send the telephone you promised."

He rose and banged to the door.

"All right," he cried. "You've behaved well. Now hide that pistol in
your waist and we'll step into the outer office."

She did as she was bid, and in a moment more they were crossing the
floor out