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