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Show P f FIFTH CHAPTER VI Continued 11 filta was silent for n niompnt. It as not easy to readjust herself. -What sort of n come-back?" Her father hesitated a moment. I don't think you'll understand." "Can I help you?" Xo, Nita ; it Isn't work for women." "You mean there's danger In it?" He was afraid to say too much. lie dreaded to he entrapped by her seemingly seem-ingly innocent questions. lie knew the was mentally much quicker than be. The Fessendons apuin. "It's not my secret," he returned, "and I ought not to say any more. I can only assure you that Malet and Bradney are splendid fellows, both far superior to me. Very high types. They believe that what we intend to do Is the only right and logical thing. You must let it go at that." "And because there's danger in It you think I'd better keep out of it?" "Exactly," he exclaimed, gratified at this attitude of obedience. "Then it is dangerous," she cried. Barnes saw he had made a damaging admission. She had trapped him. "Daddy, what makes you think I'm afraid of anything that's dangerous?" "Oh, Nita," he said reproachfully, "that's scarcely playing the game to drag information from me which is tot mine to give. You are deliberately deliberate-ly trying to make me betray my friends." He had risen to his feet. She could see he was not pleased with her. "Indeed, I'm not," she said earnestly. earnest-ly. "Daddy, I came over here because something told me you needed looking after. It isn't that I'm trying to make yon betray your friends. I want to be sure that they are being honest with you." "I have never met squarer men," he answered. "Then I'm on their side, too. My father and his friends, right or wrong." Barnes did not know what to say. But a daughter of his could not be associated as-sociated with anything irregular. He shook his head. "I cannot accept your assistance," he told her. "Very well. I shall tell Mr. Milmnn I am leaving after luncheon tomorrow. I came over here equipped, specially equipped, for a certain sort of position, posi-tion, and I'm going to get it." "Skilled secretarial workers and ftenofrraphers are drugs in the niar-lit," niar-lit," lie assured her. "I am not going to be a stenographer," stenogra-pher," she retorted. "I did that to earn money to come here. I shall take the other position, so you won't have to live on a stranger's charity." "That is a hard thing to say," he answered, flushing: "and It's not nlto-Wher nlto-Wher true. Mr. Milman sought me out hecause he thought I was able to 'flp him. I am not living on charity." "What is it you are trving to do?" flie asked. "You must not expect me to tell fyou. My dear, don't be hasty and leave us yet. Promise me that?" She kissed him good night. "I won't go yet," she said. "I can't '"'eyou !1S quickly as that." When she was alone her face took M a worried aspect. She had suffered suf-fered many things In order to be with l,Mi. and she determined to find out ';nt the mystery was that enveloped ""s strange household. Although she "'us not yet twenty-two, she had trav-fl,,(l trav-fl,,(l widely and met innumerable peo-f,e- hi Milman and his associates she recognized men of charm and cul-'re cul-'re who had made her father their fin admirer. And they were all hold-i''! hold-i''! hack from her any mention of "''ir real venture. In order to de-((,ve de-((,ve her they had clumsily invented "H acted a falsehood. It could only hocause they were plotting some-,lm'-' of an illegal nature. Tle.v had played on her father's e,ll"iions and earned his gratitude and ""'peratinn by a few hundred lol-For lol-For so small a thing it had been bihle to enlist his sympathy and '" Hiey had been clever enough to trp;ite the illusion that she was wel-me wel-me when In truth they might be em-irrassed em-irrassed by her presence and already ning to get rid of her. She decid-" decid-" she would not be driven out. Her ater needed his daughter even if he ""t yet know it. The thought that tin! ti!,ntrerous men might be plot-f plot-f some crime for which Neeland "ines would ultimately bear the j;"e dwe her to action. k('l'r rof,m was at the rear of the r"se- Four iron bars protected its JiHl.nvs. AImost five feet below she til' See tlle lr)n fr'nUinS which Ct1 U'e JaPanese garden. When ""'ed down from her open win-' win-' sl'e could hear, faiiulv, the sound 'vlees. was about her they were speak-Karnes speak-Karnes had come from her room "e disquieting information that talk on oil had amused her very l' ' The news had been a blow. "Miss Barnes gives me the Impression Impres-sion of being Q very shrewd young 'ly, Malet said, "and one not easily deceived. You all know that, when once we start. It will be almost Impossible Im-possible to keep one who is already i little suspicious In ignorance." "Yes," said Hradney, "I am afraid she cannot stay here." "Her godmother lives In Philadelphia." Philadel-phia." said Barnes. "She can't refuse to take her in for a month or two She said something about earning her liv-ing. liv-ing. but I should prefer her to go to Philadelphia." "I am afraid she would be n source of danger if she remained." Peter Milman agreed. "Also, it would never do to compromise her In an affair which might end disastrously." "We've been too busy with theories," said Fleming Hradney when the problem prob-lem of Xita had been settled. What we are after should be original dis-associations dis-associations of ideas." "I can't get that very clearly," said Neeland Barnes. "As I see It. all we want from Iinxon is a cold million. Half of that goes to Milman and we split the rest." "Exactly," Bradney returned. "That's the very point. How are we to make him give up a million? I don't know. vv4,.;,r "What Sort of a Comeback?" You don't either. None of us knows. Obviously the thing is to get close to him, into the house for choice." "He doesn't know me," Milman declared. de-clared. "But I cannot be seen, because be-cause Loddon, who has told me so much under the influence of my port and the belief that I never stir abroad and know nothing of outside affairs, is a frequent guest. The question ques-tion is. would he recognize Barnes?" "Certain to," Barnes said gloomily. "I haven't altered much since that day I threw him from the pier. What about Malet?" "Probably not," said the sculptor. "In those days I was twenty pounds heavier, wore a mustache, and had a general air of bien-etre." "I am the man," Bradney declared. "I doubt if he lias ever seen me. We know he talked to -Malet for some time. It is I who must contrive to get into his house." "In what capacity?" Milman asked. "There you have me," the scientist admitted. We are safe to start by assuming. Milman cut in, "that Paul Kaxon is always cautious. From the outside his house is impregnable." ' "You mean," Bradney remarked, "that to get in one would have to be vouched for?" Undoubtedly," said Peter MiUmm. "If someone socially prominent took vou there, It might he all right. There was one curiously disquieting thin" Loddon told me about Iiaxou. When ne has injured a man he ex- I pects some retaliation, and takes tin: precaution of having the Injured one watched. We know he dogged Barnes for years. Even now there may be those who know for what purpose we four are gathered here. I am not certain cer-tain but that Achille speaks English as well as he does French." The listeners were startled at the sudden change they saw on their host's face. Where he had been merely mere-ly thoughtful and slightly worried he was now actively alarmed. He was leaning forward examining something on the table before him. They remembered re-membered It was the electric dial, that Ingenious device for the protec- j tion of his home against invaders. The face of the dial was divided , into six parts. These numbered sections sec-tions would tell Milman on what part of the roof the Intruder was. The three, pressing about him. saw that u ! red light suddenly illuminated the square marked 1. A hand moved very slowly to the square numbered 6. "That," Milman whispered, looking relieved, "represents the weight. Six pounds means a large and prowling cat." They heard a sudden exclamation. The weight went up a hundred and twenty pounds. The square numbered 1 was now in darkness and another was illuminated. They could trace the path of the trespasser. He was creeping near them. "Achille," Milmnn whispered. "That would be his weight. The six pounds was when he rested a foot on It before be-fore putting his whole weight on the grating." Peter Milman betrayed no' nervousness nervous-ness now. Noiselessly he drev the sawed o't shotgun from Its place. Then with a touch of a button all lights In the garden were extinguished. Iu the darkness the shades rolled back. Against the sky, bright with stars, the watchers could see a figure lying above their heads. Another light was switched on which left the group below still in darkness, but showed pitilessly on the trespasser. The gun was already at Milman's shoulder when Neeland Barnes made a jump for it and pulled the barrel down. "My God, Milman!" he cried, white-faced. white-faced. "It's my girl. It's Nita." "Ah," said Milman with a curious smile, "so I perceive. A strange position posi-tion In which to find a guest, is It not?" "Inexplicable," said Bradney. He cast a suspicious look at Barnes. "I think," Peter Milman went on. "we should like a talk with Miss Barnes." "I'll fetch her," Barnes said eagerly. He was confused, ashamed, humiliated. humili-ated. "You will be kind enough to remain here," said Milman. Barnes saw that he was menaced by that most dreadful dread-ful of weapons at short range, the sawed-off shotgun. He remembered its load of buckshot. "I fear I must remind you that we must Insist on an explanation from you, too. To allow you the opportunity of escape would be most unwise." He raised his voice a little, but he did not take his steady gaze from Barnes' face. "Miss Barnes," he said, "will you be so kind as to come here at once?" The girl's voice trembled as she answered. an-swered. It seemed to them all there was a trace of defiance in her tone. "I won't be a minute. It's not very comfortable up here." The shades were drawn again and the lights switched on more fully. Neeland Barnes looked from one to the other of the men whose faces had been iu the shadow. It seemed incredible in-credible that they could suspect him of complicity in this eavesdropping. It was plain enough what her errand was. "Let me explain," he began. Peter Milman stopped him with a gesture. "Wait," he commanded. "We shall hear you when your daughter conies." Barnes sank heavily into a seat. He felt that Bradney and Malet looked upon him as a traitor. Nita was wearing a blue silk dressing dress-ing wrap when she came into the Japanese garden. Her bearing was confident and unafraid. She came quickly to her father's side and put an arm about his bowed shoulders. "Ob, Nita, Nita," be groaned. "How could you do such a dreadful thing as this?" Malet, watching her closely, saw that she bent upon the sitting man a look which had something of maternal tenderness in it. It seemed strange to the observers that she stood there us though to defend her father from enemies. Of shame or embarrassment there was no sign. So you caught me." she said. ' "Well, perhaps it is best you did." "Why?" Peter Milmnn. demanded. J '(TO BE CONTINUED.) I . I ..TATATAT.MM.'H'HXir'Hi : |