Constance Dunlap

d here, Mr

of a half dozen consulates in New York, stuck a pin in a m

then added, "but we must have money, f

straight as an arrow, Santos had risen and was now gazing down

of her trim figure which her filmy gown seemed to accentu

ticking in a little, almost micr

sland a plant to print paper money, to coin silver. With that we shall land, pay our men as they

kly. "But that is counte

nal government-merely coin our own money. Besides, it will n

watching the effect of his words. Instinctively she knew that it wa

estroy all our hopes. Besides, we must have money-now-to buy machinery, arms, ammunition. We must find some one," he lower

pidly and earnestly,

tially, "to give you, Senora, half the mo

ertainly a handsome figure, this soldier

sitting room. This was a business proposit

the ends of the earth. She speculated on the romantic secrets hidden in liner and t

tos, leaning further over the

than before. Yet the great city cast a spell over her, with its countless opportunities for adventure. She coul

at breakfast or luncheon. But at dinner he often, ordered much as if it were seven o'clock in the morning instead of

r her arrival to receive a call from

. "But I have heard how clever you are, Senora Dunlap. A fri

his entire confidence in Mr. Santos. Formal as it was, Constance thought she could re

no time to liv

me has come to overthrow the regime in Central America-for a revolution which will bri

out the map

we would call the n

eried Co

We have already a Junta with headquarters i

the plan of cam

t down on the table as if the blow had already falle

pau

aise the money?" he

most irresistible. Besides-no, at the outset she put out of consider

law and custom was stron

eplied, "I w

gesture that she could not resent, raise

ith, a courtly smile.

but they were not like the usual oily plotters of revolution who congregate about the round tables in dingy back rooms of South Stre

k of the Anglo-Saxon who has spent much time in the neighborhood of the tropical sun. "The Arroyo is the ship that is to carry the arms

, without taking his

" he explained. "It is a wonderful plan," he added e

igarette, much as if it were the oppositio

he instinctively disliked the man. His cameraderie had something offen

he start she was amazed to find that money for a revolution could be raised at all. She s

ething about her that

speculator of the rich returns if the revolution should prove successful. More than that, she quickly learned that it was best to go alone,

n into the thousands with a substanti

lling him one night of her success, in the dusty, cobwebbed little ship ch

sed at his admiration. "We shall soon conver

made much difference in the fasc

onfided. "Already, I have started together

been ordering the presses, the stamping machine, and a litt

foreign governments. A photo-engraver is now engaged on the work of copying the notes. He is making the plates by the photo-etching process-the same as that by which the real money plates are made. Then, to

or. Santos sprang to h

ne was not lost on him. "May I join the conspiracy?" he smiled. "What luck to-day? By the way, I h

hastily of Constance's success. "Let us get

three left the headquarters, "don't let the commander-in-chief monopolize ALL your time, Re

She half imagined that a frown

to Brooklyn?"

replied, as they parted at the subway, he and Gordon to s

later in her rooms, she was going over the list of names of com

a tap on

the list into the

ou, downstairs, ma'am

portieres, her heart gav

erything with eyes that seldom had the appearance of looking a

ip. "And why again?

ing her curtness, "that there is a guest

lf insinuating, ha

landlady," replied Constan

, "what is the use of beating about? Do yo

perfect indiffere

ing from me worth troubling a

to stand as if to te

a proposition to you. Mrs. Dunlap, you are in bad again. But this time there is a chance

t suddenly flashed over her what he was after. If she had resented his familiarity before, it brought the st

thout waiting added, "I think you are a crook-a blackmai

mmond. Instead of fear as of the pursued, Consta

ed, taking a step closer to her. "I know the bankers you

oolly, in assumed surprise.

at is being planned to bring about the new state of

ia-Santo

ordon. And I'll go further. I'll tell

zing manner when he dealt with a woman. All the malevolen

ainst the clever thefts of Murray Dodge! Who is using a counterfeiter and a soldier of fortune and swindlin

she laughed airily, "I suppose

he ground out,

ugged her pre

one thing. The moment an order is given for the withdrawal of that stuff from the little shop in South Street-you know what I mean-I am

what of

w against working with this Santos. He-y

of the man seemed to arouse all the combativeness of her nature. The detective had

ess," she said icily. "It i

than ever before. She did not stop to analyze her own feelings. She knew he had been making love to her during the past week as only a Spaniard could.

n she burst in on them, breathle

nquired Ramon quickly,

oman, though he did not speak it. She saw him

n did not trust Santos any further than the suspicious Anglo-Sa

etective employed by one of the consulates. They know too much. He has threatened to

" burst out San

ightened?" Gord

ething of the sort soon, but not

claimed th

o look at him quickly. Santos had noticed it,

her. She had fled from one problem to a greate

trive to hold off Drummond until that part of the expedition which was ready could be got off. An

don were offensive. Yet she could have given no other reason than that she liked Santos the better. Yet what was Santos to her, after all

er the visit of Drummond. She was waiting at the Junta alone for Santos whe

an Gordon bending

embling with emot

n, mistaking her feelings. "I can see that

to me that way. Remember-there is

s the whole of Central Amer

ou must not. Listen to me. You do not know

t him. It seemed that with an almost superhuman

with his fiery nature should find Gordon

en the Arroyo sails-that nigh

she hurried unexpectedly out of the Junta she fancied she caught a glimpse of a fam

. She must see Santos. Plan after plan whi

ng that, seeing a light, he t

the Junta to-ni

thing of jealo

ay to you where we should not be inte

nvoluntarily he moved closer. His eyes met hers. She

n, to-day," she bega

ve happened if he instead of Gordon had met her at the Junta she could not have said. But

changed. There was only one way to do it; she must make t

he others until it is there safely. You were going to send it down on the Arroyo next week. It m

?" His voic

m," she said in a tone that Santos could not mistake. "No-Ramon,

she sank to rest at last when he h

ollected at the Junta, during the next few days. Without a word to a soul they were s

their way to New Orleans. Instead, cases resembling them were sent to the Junta headquarter

the counterfeiting plant which had not yet been delivered, Constance, during the hours that she was not collecting mo

some apparently insurmountable difficulty arose, she would overcome it. More delicate was it, however, to preserve the balance between Santos and Gordon. In fact i

ure of Santos for the south. Constance had decided on the

he things on the Arroyo," she said. "Let me

at her, oblivious

She knew this was the moment agai

me," he ask

his breath, hot

le. If she let go of he

but without withdrawing her

o hold in check a

t. We have raised nearly forty thousand dollars.

tention to her words. His whole

she had decided on for herself, "with me, Ramon, love is dead-dead. I have seen too

that she had withdrawn. Quickly he raised i

," he whisper

ithdraw the h

his-no

adventurers under

ely as he threw his arms abo

he gave one answering cares

t only Ramon Santos

e was speeding southward

ust get to Drummond that there was any change in the activities of the Junta. As for the Junta itself, there was n

the Junta telling them that he would be away for a short time putting the finishing touches on the purchase of the arms. The arrival of a

yo arrived and with it at last a telegr

cartridges and the counterfeiting plant in New Orleans, a li

ne of Drummond's shadows dogging her. She must

dusty ship chandler

u are just the person I am looking for. Wh

e of jealousy in the tone. At any rat

a be ready to cart over by truck to Brooklyn. There has been no change. The papers are to be signed during the day and she is to be scheduled to sail late in the afternoon with the

positively revolting to her in the role o

answer!"

im that made Constance almo

pier," she murmur

oss the city and the bridge. Messengers, stationed on the wa

the deserted streets to the waterfront, leaving word at home

to learn that there had been not a hitch so far. Still, she reasoned, that was natural. Drummon

his assistants were seeing that the machinery was in perfect order.

f Gordon himself and an assistant from the Junta. It was dreary waiting, and Constance drew her coat mor

vily laden carts disturbed the midnight s

the light of battle lanterns-big lamps with reflectors so placed as to throw the light exactly where it was needed and nowhere else. They we

aste. There was a muttered exclamation-a heavy case

was carried, as gently as the rough hands could carry anything, to one side, where he lay silently waiting for the ship's surgeon who had been engaged for jus

eing loaded. The tug crawled up and made fast. Already the empty trucks

lashed through th

the land from around the corner of

boat Patrol. On the other was Drummond. With both

ned to Gordon

ld move, some

hoarse voice in her ear. Sh

secret that Ramon was at the moment or

eyes. Was that the familiar figur

the Secret Service. It was exactly as she had susp

ations. Constance was the calmest in the cr

ak open the boxes mar

nching of the axes escaped Gordon. "Da

" and "corn" conta

ot a cartridge was in any of them as th

y from the misty shadows. Drummond seized

code: "I am

re was not a scrap of tangible evidence against her, except what Santos had carried with him in the filibustering expedition alre

at the skulking figure of Gordon behind him. "But the next time you employ a stool-pigeon