“No; she was alone. Nan had been chewing on the thing all day. She didn’t know what to do. She said that she had decided to telephone to me, after church, when she discovered that I was among the members of the congregation.” “In the meantime I suppose she hasn’t said a word to anybody but you.” “Not a word.” “What have you advised her to do?” “I haven’t advised her—yet. What I did do was to promise to become one of the invited guests at ‘The Birches,’ as they call the Remsen place on the Hudson.” “I see. So you are going up there, eh?” “Yes.” “When?” “In a couple of hours. I’m going to take the car, and drive there—and you are going with me. Danny will do the driving.” “Oho! I see! Do you know the Remsens?” “No. I never met either of them; or any of the family; but Nan said she could fix that part of it all right. Nan was to tell Mrs. Remsen, this morning, that she met an old friend at church, who is to motor out their way to-day, and that she invited him to stop at The Birches. That is all there is to that.” “You intend to get Jimmy off to one side, and—what?” “I haven’t decided that point, as yet. You see, there is another complication in the affair. Mrs. Remsen is Theodore Remsen’s second wife. There are two stepchildren at The Birches, a son and a daughter—and Ledger Dinwiddie is supposed to be the future husband of Lenore Remsen. You see, Jimmy Duryea has an assured position at the house, and in the family. He thinks, now, that Nan dare not denounce him, because of the effect that such a denouncement would have upon herself; but with me on the ground——” “I see. What do you propose to do?” “I don’t know, Chick, until I get on the ground. It is a queer case all around. Nan is for compelling Jimmy to give up the plunder, and to disappear, without doing anything to him at all. She believes that I am the only person who can accomplish that with him—and, under the circumstances, she is about right, Chick.” “Yes.” “So I promised her that I would go there this afternoon. She and Mrs. Remsen—who is a beautiful woman of about Nan’s age—were to return this morning; they are probably halfway there by this time.” “And you want me with you.” “Why, yes. I thought you’d like it. Jimmy will realize what he is up against when he sees both of us there.” “He certainly ought to.” “I don’t know just what attitude Jimmy will take. You know as well as I do that he never plans a thing of this sort without doing it thoroughly. He is doubtless prepared at every turn, and he may have the bareface to defy me.” “It wouldn’t surprise me if he did.” “Nor me, either, Chick.” “Then what?” “Oh, we won’t cross any bridges till we get to them.” “How soon will we start, Nick?” “In an hour or two.” CHAPTER IV. THROWING THE GAUNTLET.