Constance Dunlap

e troubles of the Motor Trust? The other dir

ths of the big brown eyes of the woman beside his desk. Talking to Constance Dunla

out you to convince me that you are more than an amateur at getting people

ss about Brainard wh

dence in me-on such short acquaintance," s

ard l

an law, and in the reorganization that will follow the investigation, they plan to eliminate Rodman Brainard-perhaps set in motion the criminal clau

sion seemed to please him. "By George," he thought to

nche Leblanc, the actress. You have seen her? A stunning woman-wonderful. But I long ago saw that such a friendship could lead to nothing but ruin." He met Constance's e

gure in the Motor Trust trou

ne had broken into Miss Leblanc's apartments and had stolen a package of letters which I wrote to her. It can't hurt h

en doing th

nts' as they call themselves-it sounds popular, like reform. I und

ckly at the name. "Was Drummo

inard-acts, that she has read and reread those letters. But, by God," he concluded, bringing down his fist on the desk, "I shall fight to the end, a

stance studied the grim determination in the man

ainard," she remarked quietly. "That's on

ed. It was not an appeal; r

nto the office of the Trust. Can

is over. My record on the Streets speaks for how I s

nd in a straight-arm shake that made Brainard straighten him

came private secretary to the

p," remarked Brainard. "I

eem to be very busy without having anything which

d uptown kept her longer than she expected, but by the late afternoon she was back again a

it seems on the surface, Miss Dunlap," re

ce. "You are not the only man who has been caught with

, "I mean this Blanche Leblanc a

of the heart, and yet there was something fascinating about having a man like

man-an ambitious man-needs a partner, a woman who can use the social position that money gives not alone for pleasure but as a means of advancing the partnership. I never had that. The more I advanced, the more I found

talking. It was Constance, the secretary. Yet it

ped again bes

forcing a change in his manner. "I am in for it. No

the package on her desk,

t?" he aske

. We can get at their most vital secrets with it. We can discover every plan which they have against us. We may ev

ttle storage batteries inside, the coil of silk-covered wire, a little black rubber

d a picture or under a table or desk. Then you run the wire out of

s what dete

what of it? If it is good for the

imed. "By George,

microphone. It seemed as if Worthington were staying, perversely,

ith which she had been toying in the appearance of being busy. With Brainard she ente

ht large mahogany chairs, a half inch pile of velvety rug on the floor and a huge chandelier in the middle of the ceili

o consider. Brainard waite

transmitter except up above tha

a trim ankle. The warmth and softness of her touch caused him to hold her hand just a moment

e said, looking at the thick scum

e to the center on the top of the reflector.

alking about the roo

r of excitement over the adventure, "and

eemed ridiculous for h

p on the desk twice." Then he added, half laughin

rap came

smiled entering her offic

k smoothly on

-Cons

elations since the microphone incident. At any

microphone around," she remarked. "I pla

a little longer in hers and she did not withdraw it so soon. When she did there was a quic

said, as if

"I never could take a

ed about to lose her balance. Then she felt an arm steadyin

rcely thought it wa

ned in s

was standing i

deceptive age which the beauty parlors con

looked coldly fro

Sybil?" asked Brainard with sarcastic emphasis. "I shall finish

his own office ope

"Well, young lady," she said haughtily, "do you r

d Miss Dunlap standing on the table trying to fix them. You came just in time to see her jump do

d her. Over and over she thought of what had happened. And always she came ba

nge in his manner as he greeted her. The incident had not affe

ng to see Brainard and as

sually through the reception

fice but she was too engrossed to pay attention to anything but the voices tha

, I saw her ag

he

than usual with that new secretary of his. So

nd

anted-came up here-and, say Sheppard-what do you think?

are they? How much did you h

the pool. Say, Leblanc is-well-give you my word,

st word in woma

men l

he let

st good. Sybil has them herself. Now, what hav

state. The criminal business will come later. Only, you have to play him caref

he stock up, as though not

left the

d's office. He was sunk deep i

e matter?"

for divorce. That young

es

-respondent along wi

I

. Everything is going-fortune, reputati

g? No

ily what she

ks I have suspected him. They have been too clever for me. Constance, while I have been

acing th

ell out at a loss, buy it back cheap, and control the reorganization. Well, I haven't control now, alone. I wish I

hinking

public scared. You could get enough to control, perhaps, then. They wouldn't dare sell-or

ng. Play their own game-ah

at Constance resumed her place at h

ces again in t

nk? Someone is selling Motors-five

? What sha

. Some one has peached. W

rumor of prosecution of Motors by the government-large selling or

e pour our money into his pockets now and let him sell at the t

ly bursting bubble. Shares were dug up in small lots, in huge blocks and slammed on the market for what they would bring. All day the pounding went on. Thousands of shares were poured

m, Brainard, having set the machinery in motion and having been ostentatiously i

f the collapse as it was interpreted in the Wall Street editi

work, Constance," he said, f

ut an entirely new twist on affairs. And the best of it is that the finan

on-hang Motors. THA

a packet of lett

looked at him keenly. It was evident that

never suspect that she had them and, besides, she had the combination changed. I went up to the house this afternoon when

do you

installed in the room which she uses most of all. The wires run to the next house where

or hours in the empty apartment patient

as a noise as o

them i

rainard as if perhap

me more

mond," he added. "The

his Dunlap woman,

hed forth in a tira

ver, Drummond.

as they

have her

ent, Mrs.

about the panic

il, not now. Drummond

nd hes

ith it

ngton, it is said

it along. We'll go the limit, too. After all, it had

ces tra

ht, Mrs.

ond. That was what I w

can I ever

a kiss came over the wire.

must go now-" Again

rd spoke. Then it was that he showed

It means getting money to support Motors on the opening to-morrow after I have gathered in again what I need

ance. "Trust me. If anything

d who, bright and fresh, even though he had been up all night, w

l which he needed. He was now bulling the market by matching orders, pyramidin

and even going beyond in the reaction. Worthington and Shep

uck three, the closing hour, Brain

u would tell Worthington and Sheppard that I sh

. There was time also to exec

stantly Constance had the receiver of the microphone at her ear, strainin

ed. It was Sy

looked at each

as the firs

Mr. Worthington. More than that, I asked the office boy to dire

it without a sig

installing of that machine in the board ro

ld put his arm around you for that?" inq

and had almost lost my balance-that was

ers told me of a conversation last nigh

ched. "You-ha

. Worthington were there. After they left he had to attend a conferen

at libe

t understand. I have no r

door and entered. "Mr. Brain

e. "Won't you sit here at my desk and li

Sybil put the black disc receiver to her ear as she had seen Consta

ough the black disc at her ear. She was s

at notebook?" came the d

lating to the conspiracy to control Motors, care

a lie-

over the new microphone detective. Look up there over the chandelier,

u are clever but there are other things be

call it that, was not done here, either, by a long shot, Worthington. I had one of these machines in my wife's reception room.

e you, sir," announc

was flushed and her breast r

come down, using another name as a pretext. But I didn't think she would interrupt so soon. Before you see her-let me read this. It was a conversation I got after you

ink I am ungrateful. You have been one friend in a thousand thr

t did he ever care for you!

till my

t escapade with

o I really kn

saw

aybe it was

Sybil Brainard entered. The artificiality of the beauty parlor

e of your love for me, when all the time you cared no more for me or for any other woman than for that-that Leblanc! You knew that I, who was as jealous as

urned slowly to Brainard with

have not developed with you, the way you want of me. But, Rodman, did you ever stop to think t

me?" Brainard ma

ive me?" she r

have nothing

it had been Miss Dunlap. She is cleve

ard turned

sobbed, "forgive me. You-you