"I can't forgive my own stupidity," he said. "While I was puzzling over the bill this evening I copied the secret on a sheet of paper. When Poritol came I put it away in a drawer and forgot all about it. But here it is." He laid the paper on the little, useless onyx table that stood beside her chair. She snatched it quickly and began to examine it closely. "Perhaps you can imagine how those letters puzzled me," he volunteered. "Hush!" she exclaimed; and then: "Oh, this is plain. You wouldn't know, of course, but I see it clearly. There is no time to lose." "You are going to follow this clue now--to-night?" "Maku will read it on the bill, and--oh, these Japanese! If you have one in your kitchen, you never know whether he's a jinriksha man, a college student, or a vice-admiral." "You will let me go with you?" Orme was trembling for the answer. He was still in the dark, and did not know how far she would feel that she could accept his aid. "I may need you, Mr. Orme," she said simply. It pleased him that she brought up no question of possible inconvenience to him. With her, he realized, only direct relations were possible. "How much of a journey is it?" he ventured to ask. "Not very long. I intend to be mysterious about it." She smiled brightly. Her face had lighted up wonderfully since he gave her the paper that contained the secret of the bill. But he knew that she must be tired; so he said: "Can't you send me alone on this errand? It may be late before it is done, and----" "And I will not sit and rest while you do all the work. Besides, I cannot forego the excitement of the chase." He was selfishly glad in her answer. "Do we walk?" he asked. "We will go in the motor," she said. "Where is it?" "I left it around the corner. The thought came to me that Mr. Poritol might be here, and I didn't wish him to recognize it." Orme thought of the hard quest the girl had followed that day--battling for her father's interests. What kind of a man could that father be to let his daughter thus go into difficulties alone? But she had said that her father was unable to leave the house. Probably he did not know how serious the adventure might be. Or was the loss of the papers so desperate that even a daughter must run risks? Together they went out to the street. Orme caught a dubious glance from the clerk, as they passed through the lobby, and he resented it. Surely anyone could see---- The girl led the way around the corner into a side street. There stood the car. He helped her in and without a word saw that she was restfully and comfortably placed in the seat next to the chauffeur's. She did not resist the implication of his mastery. He cranked up, leaped to the seat beside her, and took the levers. "Which way, Girl?" he asked. "North," she answered. The big car swung out in the Lake Shore Drive and turned in the direction of Lincoln Park. CHAPTER V "EVANS, S. R."