f anything is to be
done," he said eagerly. "Let me see. I have an engagement at five. How
would seven o'clock do? Could I call at your boarding-house? Would there
be any place where we could talk uninterrupted?"

"Sure," said Jane, rising. "I'll get my landlady to let me have her
settin' room fer an hour."

"Meantime, I'll think it over and try to plan something."

Jane started down the long flights of stairs, not daring to trust to the
elevator, lest she should come face to face with Jimmie and have to
explain.

Reyburn stood with his back to the room, his hands in his pockets,
frowning and looking out the window, when Jimmie entered a moment later.

"I hope I'm not late, sir?" he said anxiously, as he hung up his hat and
sat down at his typewriter. "I had to wait. The man was out."

"Oh, that's all right, Ryan," said his employer, obviously not listening
to his explanation. "I'm going out now, Ryan. I may not be back this
afternoon. Just see that everything is all right."

"Very well, sir."

Reyburn went out, then opened the door and put his head back in the
room.

"I may have to go out of town to-night, Ryan. I'm not sure. Something
has come up. If I'm not in to-morrow, could you--would you mind just
staying here all day and looking after things? I may need you. Of course
you'll lock up and leave the card out when you go to lunch."

"Very well, sir."

"I'll keep in touch with you in case I'm delayed," and Reyburn was off
again. When the elevator had clanked down to the next floor Jimmie went
to the window and looked dreamily out over the roofs of the city:

"Aw!" he breathed joyously. "Now I'll bet he's going to do something
about that reward!"

Reyburn hurried down the street to the office of an old friend where he
had a bit of business as an excuse, and asked a few casual questions
when he was done. Then he went on to a telephone booth and called up a
friend of his mother's, with whom he had a brief gossip, ostensibly to
give a message from his mother, contained in her last letter to him.
None of the questions that he asked were noticeable. He merely led the
conversation into certain grooves. The lady was an old resident and well
known in the higher social circles. She knew all there was to know about
everybody and she loved to tell it. She never dreamed that he had any
motive in leading her on.

He dropped into a bank and asked a few questions, called up an address
they gave him and made another